Frigid
by wodehousefan
Summary: One year after the Great Freeze, the kingdom of Arendelle is celebrating the first year of Queen Elsa's popular reign. But frigid relationships of old come back to haunt them and it's up to Elsa, Anna and Kristoff to find out who's responsible and put a stop to their plans before it's too late.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I absolutely loved Frozen and didn't want it to end. So here's my attempt at a sequel. Also the standard disclaimers apply; I don't own Frozen, or Disney. I don't have a lawyer so please don't sue me.

Apologies for my first wonky upload which put all the content in bold. Have re-uploaded and hope it reads better now. Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows. Merry Christmas everyone.

**Party Preparations**

"And if you would just sign here, Your Majesty… and here, and here and finally here."

Queen Elsa of Arendelle groaned inwardly as she plied the pen. Being queen had its charms, but paperwork wasn't one of them. And planning the party to celebrate her one year reign was throwing up more headaches than it seemed worth.

"Done. Thank you, Your Majesty," William bowed low. Elsa smiled at the middle-aged, slightly obese man who had been of immense help to her. As her assistant, he took care of the day to day matters that she had to attend to and Elsa knew that without him she would soon have been swamped.

"The caterers will be here shortly, Your Majesty," William continued, "and the decorators at five."

Elsa nodded, her eyes drawn to the sunlight streaming through the window. It was a beautiful day in July but apparently she would not have a chance to enjoy it. It was just past two in the afternoon and a gentle breeze was blowing, keeping the weather pleasant.

"I'm going to step outside for a few moments, William," she said, coming to a decision, "Call out to me if they get here before I'm back."

"Very well, Your Majesty," William bowed again and left the room. Elsa walked across to the window and looked out over the high gates of the castle at the majestic fjord and the Arendellian landscape. Not for the first time she felt overwhelmed at being responsible for the well-being of so many. Shaking herself, she strolled out into the large outer courtyard and breathed in the fresh, summer air. People bowed and curtsied as she walked around and Elsa graciously acknowledged each one.

Just outside the now permanently open castle gates, she saw a strawberry-blonde girl and a sentient snowman perched on the wall of the bridge that led to the town, skipping stones over the calm waters of the fjord. Elsa almost cried out as the girl nearly unseated herself after a particularly spirited throw. Her younger sister, Anna, had always been the free spirited one, willing to take a chance on anything… and anyone. Elsa half-smiled and half-shuddered at the memory of Hans, Anna's first 'love'. Years of isolation in the castle had made Anna crave the company of someone her age, and the dashing prince from the Southern Isles had seemed perfect. She could remember their excitement as they had come to her asking for her blessing to be married.

Elsa shook her head unconsciously. She had forbidden the banns in no uncertain terms, much to Anna's chagrin. That had resulted in a heated argument and the exposure of Elsa's powers, her ability to control snow and ice. Afraid of hurting others and fearing for her life, she had fled to the North Mountain and built herself an ice palace, resigned to spending the rest of her life alone. And then Anna had come to find her and take her back, and in a moment of terror, she had struck her and frozen her heart. Elsa shuddered again at the thought that she had nearly killed her own sister, and had followed that up by setting a snow monster on her.

The memories were flooding back now. She remembered the two men who had tried to kill her on the orders of the Duke of Wesselton. Elsa shivered as she remembered that she had nearly killed them in a blind rage. Hans had distracted her and saved their lives but she had been captured after nearly having been crushed by an icy chandelier. Returned to Arendelle in chains, she had begun to suspect that something was not quite right about the saintly Hans. Something in his manner had sent up red flags, and she had managed to break free just in time to escape. In her confused and frightened state of mind, a blizzard had descended upon Arendelle. Struggling through the blinding snow, she had been confronted by Hans who had told her that Anna was dead because of her. Overcome with grief, she had collapsed, not noticing that Hans had drawn his sword to kill her. And Anna, weakened by her frozen heart, had come between Hans and her, saving her life. It was to her eternal relief that Anna's act of love had thawed her frozen heart and brought her back to life.

Memories had often chained Elsa to the past, but now she could reflect on happier ones. Of sending Hans back to his brothers in chains and suspending trade operations with the scheming Duke of Wesselton. She remembered the love that the people of Arendelle had showered on her, accepting her powers and supporting her reign as queen. And standing behind her sister, she thought of how happy Anna was now, more than she had ever known her to be.

"Hi," Elsa said, suppressing the urge to call out _boo_.

Anna spun around and nearly slid off the wall. Elsa lunged forward and grabbed her arm to steady her.

"Must you sit on the wall?" she remonstrated, "You know I'm always afraid you'll fall off."

"And you'll be there to catch me," Anna grinned. Elsa couldn't help but feel flattered. Anna did have the ability to sweet talk people.

"And Olaf's here," Anna continued, "He wouldn't let anything happen to me, either."

"That's right," stated the snowman, "You're safe with me."

Olaf was one of Elsa's snow creations which had come alive; an ability that Elsa had not known she had until she had seen Olaf stroll into her ice palace. The courageous and endearing little snowman had made such an impression on the sisters that Elsa had created a personal snow flurry to keep him alive through the sunny summer months.

"So how's the planning coming?" Anna enquired. Elsa sighed dramatically. "That bad, huh?" Anna continued, giggling.

"You're going to be there when the decorators come, right?" Elsa pleaded. She didn't think she could have another conversation about flower and colour combinations without some sisterly support.

"Yup, they're coming at five, aren't they?"

"Yes, I wish you'd come in to meet the caterers too."

"Hey, if you want every dish at the party to be chocolate, then I'll come," Anna warned her, "Besides you've got Gustav to help you." Gustav was the head-chef at the castle, a brilliant but temperamental genius with food.

"You never know with Gustav," Elsa mused, "If he's in one of his moods, we might end up with lutefisk on the menu. Remember your birthday?"

"Ugh…how could I forget," Anna replied, shuddering at the thought of the indigestible birthday meal she'd had to struggle through.

"Hmm… anyway, I think he's going to be ok this time. I hear he's met someone recently who has considerably improved his general outlook on life," Elsa said, and then stopped short. Anna wasn't listening, and her drumming fingers and quick glances out into the distance were only too obvious. Elsa smiled at just how transparent her sister was.

"Sooo… what are you planning to do till five?" Elsa asked, attempting to seem uninterested.

"Hmmm… oh, I thought I'd roam around. You know, go out into the forest, shoot the breeze, you know…" Anna was babbling now.

"Well, alright," Elsa cut in, as Anna signaled for her horse, "Just make sure you're back at four thirty."

"Oh sure, I'm not going too far, I'll be back. You don't have to worry. Four thirty on the dot," Anna continued gabbling as her horse was brought out, "Come on, Olaf."

'I'm comin'," the snowman said as he swung himself on behind Anna.

"And say hi to Kristoff and Sven for me," Elsa called with a twinkle as Anna began to ride off.

"Who? Oh yeah, sure… If I see them," Anna shot back, a red flush spreading across her cheeks.

Elsa shook her head, smiling as she watched her sister ride off. Anna was trying so hard to prove that she was not going to make the same mistake with Hans, and she was failing so miserably. She just couldn't disguise how much she cared for Kristoff. Elsa was glad that Kristoff genuinely reciprocated her feelings. She didn't want Anna to be hurt again. Satisfied that her sister would be in safe hands, Elsa turned back to the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Shooting the Breeze**

Stretched out in the summer sun, the young man sighed contentedly. He breathed in the sweet, summery scents that wafted through the valley, and smiled. He was quite accustomed to winter and its hardships, but, like Olaf, he loved summer. A short distance away he could hear the muffled sounds of his family going about their business. Sven, his reindeer, snoozed happily next to him.

"Ahhh! This is the life," Kristoff murmured as he closed his eyes. Dozing in the small clearing within the Valley of the Living Rock, his bare feet dangling in a pond of cool, lucid water, Kristoff wandered off into dreamland. Peace reigned in the still summer afternoon right up until he felt like he had been punched rather vigorously in the solar plexus and was jerked rudely back to real life with a grieved _oof_.

"Hey, what's the idea, Sven?" Kristoff roared at his four-legged attacker who was prancing around excitedly, while he rubbed his injured midriff. The next minute he understood what the idea was, as a small, white figure attached itself to the reindeer and began cooing to him. Kristoff grinned at the obvious affection between the reindeer and the snowman. He had been jealous once of how close Olaf and Sven had become, but then he had realized that it was probably for the best. After all, he wasn't giving his complete attention to Sven anymore.

"Hey Kristoff," Olaf yodeled after exchanging pleasantries with Sven, and he waddled over to join Kristoff at the pool's edge.

"Hey Olaf… did you come alone?"

"Don't worry, Anna's here too," Olaf grinned, "She's saying hi to your family. Boy, do you two think of anything other than each other? You'd think you hadn't seen her in ten years when you just saw her yesterday. Honestly… whoooaaaaaa" Olaf's opinions were cut short by Kristoff deftly shoving him into the water.

"Kristoff!" Anna's horrified cry caused the young man to cringe and turn around.

"Hey Anna," he called out with an attempt at an ingratiating smile, as she stalked towards him.

"Less of the _Hey Anna_," she stormed, "What's the idea, pushing poor Olaf into the pond?"

"He started it," Kristoff defended himself, "He… he… I…" He stammered at the glowering face before him. The tense stand-off was interrupted by the sound of Sven grunting in joy as he launched himself into the pond to join his pal.

Anna's expression changed rapidly from anger to shock as the reindeer splashed down sending a massive spray of water flying. Kristoff and Anna cowered but to no avail as a veritable shower descended on them, sending them from bone-dry to soaking wet in a matter of seconds.

"Aaauughhh!" Anna cried out, "Sven, look at what you did. Honestly, you all act like children." Dripping considerably, she stomped away from the clearing.

Kristoff turned to a bashful looking Sven and the completely unfazed Olaf. "She's pretty mad," he observed, stating the obvious, "I'd better go after her." Olaf sagely nodded his agreement. Kristoff slipped on his shoes and strode after her, wondering what he would say to calm down the incandescent Anna.

Gingerly, Kristoff made his way through the trees calling out to Anna. His initial uneasiness gave way to concern as he heard no response and saw no sign of her. Peering behind trees and calling out more urgently, Kristoff began to worry at this sudden disappearance. Stopping after a few minutes, he unconsciously began to scratch his head as he pondered his next move. A sudden outburst of giggling, however, clued him in to what was going on. Grinning now, he walked over to the large oak where the sounds of mirth were coming from. Behind the tree, Anna had now given up and was laughing heartily.

"I was beginning to get worried about you," Kristoff grumbled, but Anna's laughter was infectious and he couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, that's quite enough. Yes, I know our looks were priceless," Kristoff grinned at the still-tittering princess, rolling his eyes, as they fell in step for a walk through the valley.

"How's the party planning coming?" Kristoff asked after a few moments of talking of this and that.

"Well, Elsa's ready to tear her hair out, but otherwise it's not too bad," Anna replied, "The decorators are coming in later today and that's it."

"Three days more," Kristoff mumbled distantly.

"Three days more for what?"

"Hmm… oh umm… three days more for… it to be a year since you… became the queen's sister," Kristoff stuttered. Anna peered at him keenly. It was unlike him to be tongue tied in this manner. Kristoff stared firmly into the distance and Anna eventually shrugged and stopped thinking about it.

"Ooh…" she cried after a few moments of relaxed silence, "how's the sculpture coming? Will it be ready? Do you have enough ice?"

"Relax, it's done," Kristoff smiled, putting her at ease, "In fact, I wanted to show it to you today. Come on, let's go."

"Go where?" Anna asked, alarmed, "I need to get back at four thirty or Elsa might freeze me."

"Don't worry; it's right here in the valley," Kristoff assured her, "Grandpabbie managed to cast a spell that keeps it from melting. They circled around to where Kristoff's family was busy at the day's work. Kristoff steadfastly ignored the finger-pointing, giggling and winking of the kids as they walked past, his hand still firmly clasped in Anna's. Anna, for her part, smiled at them all and waved to a few that she had become friends with.

They walked to a spot beyond the family dwelling and came up to the little wooden cabin that Kristoff had built for himself when he had been fifteen. The troll family that had adopted him as a child was quite comfortable out in the open, but Kristoff had desired some respite from the cold and had therefore made his one and only foray into construction.

"Ready?" he asked, as he opened the door, "Ta-da!"

Kristoff stepped aside and let Anna through to look at the ice sculpture of Elsa that he had worked on for almost a month. It had been his idea and he had jealously guarded it, not giving her even a peep and now Anna gasped as she beheld the completed effort.

"Kristoff, it's beautiful," she observed, as she walked around the perfect representation of her sister in ice that he had created.

"Ah, it's nothing," he mumbled, secretly pleased at her enjoyment. He had been harboring fears that she would hate it and her open-mouthed admiration eased his worry. Anna completed her circuit of the sculpture and returned to the front, shaking her head in awe.

"This is amazing" she said turning to him, her eyes sparkling, "Elsa will love this." As she admired Kristoff's creation, she noticed another untouched block of ice in the back of the room.

"What's this for?" she asked, "Needed a spare in case the first one didn't go so well?"

"Not quite," Kristoff mumbled, unsure of what to say, "It was for…"

"For?"

Sighing, he continued, "It was to make a sculpture of you, Anna. I did so badly want to make one of you."

Anna's face softened. Kristoff seemed rugged and sure of himself, but he had a habit of revealing his insecurities and doubts now and then, and they endeared him to her even more.

"But every time I tried to start, I kept remembering when you actually froze" he went on, "And it felt like my heart had dropped into my boots. I can't bear to think of losing you again, Anna. So I never did get around to doing anything with it."

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," she murmured, as she stared deep into his eyes and stroked his cheek, "I will always be with you. I promise." Reaching up, her lips met his as her arms crossed around his neck.

Kristoff relaxed in her warm embrace. As he held her, unconsciously he slipped one hand into his pocket and felt the familiar contours of the small box nestled next to some loose change.

_Three more days_, he thought once again.

* * *

A/N: I've actually been able to put another chapter really quick which is quite an achievement for me. I hope the story's not moving too slow but I promise the pace should pick up shortly.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Big Day**

The day of the anniversary dawned bright and clear. Birds soared through the cloudless blue sky and then settled, twittering, on one of the broad window-sills of Arendelle castle. Their melodies however found strong competition from the gentle snores emanating from the princess of Arendelle. The uneven tussle was interrupted by an outburst of hammering at the door which sent the birds back into flight to find a more discerning audience. Anna had never been an early riser but the frenzied knocking proved too difficult to ignore.

"Wha… whosit?" she mumbled, attempting to unglue her eyelids.

"Anna, wake up, wake up, Anna, get up, wake up," Elsa's hysterical cries came through the woodwork, making Anna jump. Struggling out of bed, she suppressed a yawn as she flung open the door.

"Wazzamatter?" she muttered thickly, surprised that her usually composed sister appeared to be having a panic attack.

Elsa was somewhat incoherent. "It's a disaster, Anna," she said, close to tears, "We can't have the party today."

"Slow down," Anna soothed her, "What happened? What's the disaster?"

"It's William," Elsa nearly sobbed, wringing her hands desperately.

"Alright, calm down, Elsa, because it's starting to snow," Anna cajoled, pointing to the flakes gently descending from the ceiling, "Come on in and sit down and tell me what's going on."

Elsa allowed herself to be led to a chair and collapsed into it. Taking a breath to calm herself, she attempted to clarify the situation. "William was taken ill last night."

"Oh no, is he alright?" Anna asked with concern.

"Yes, thankfully, it's nothing serious. The doctor has advised complete rest for a week."

"Well, that's good. So, why are you so jumpy?"

"Because without him, I haven't the faintest clue of what is supposed to happen when," Elsa replied, starting the hand-wringing again, "All morning I've been bombarded with questions. Where do the flowers go? When are the guests expected? What do we serve them first? When is dinner? I'm going nuts, Anna. You've gotta help me," she pleaded.

Anna smiled encouragingly at her sister. It was rare for Elsa to be overwhelmed, but Anna was glad of the opportunity to help her out. Promising to be down in ten minutes to help, she ejected a visibly relieved Elsa from her room so as to get changed.

Fifteen minutes later, the sisters were in conference with Gustav, Kai, the head butler, and Gerda, the head housekeeper. Slowly, one by one, they managed to get through all the arrangements that needed to get done for the evening's celebrations. The sun moved slowly through its daily arc and soon it was time for the guests to start arriving.

Sitting back after wrapping up the final details, Anna let out a sigh of relief, which changed to a squeak when she looked at the clock.

"Elsa, we'd better get ready," she said, jumping to her feet, "Unless you want to welcome Baron Phillip like this." The distant sound of clattering hoofs, signaling the approach of their guests, spurred on the sisters as they raced to their rooms.

At the stroke of five, the assembled guests rose as Kai intoned, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle," in his majestic baritone. Elsa walked into the gathering, her white and powder-blue gown encrusted with ice crystals shimmered in the ball-room lights, and there were gasps and exclamations that rippled through the assembled guests. She had shunned her preferred single plait and had instead done up her platinum blonde hair in an elaborate bun. There was applause and much cheering and she raised a hand to acknowledge them.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle," Kai boomed, and Anna trotted into the room and joined her sister. Clad in a gown in her favourite shade of green and her hair done up to match her sister's, she waved as the assembly cheered her too. Slowly the applause ceased and an air of expectation descended on the people.

Elsa cleared her throat. "Thank you one and all for being here this evening," she began, "Though my coronation was a somewhat turbulent and stormy affair, I must thank you all for making it much better since." Laughter and light applause put the young queen at ease and she continued.

As her sister spoke, Anna's eyes roamed over the people gathered in the room. To her great surprise it appeared as if Kristoff had not come. She noticed Olaf wandering around the room, making friends as was his wont. With growing frustration, she continued to scan the room until her eyes were drawn to someone waving to her. Peering through the crowd, she felt her mouth drop open. She had always seen Kristoff in fairly casual attire, his hair unkempt, but he had made a special effort for the party. Now impeccably coiffed and clad in natty dinner accoutrements complete with bow tie, he was barely recognisable.

Transfixed, Anna completely forgot about Elsa's speech and was therefore brought out her reverie with a jolt as she noticed everyone's eyes fixed on her. She turned questioningly to her sister.

"What's going on?" she stage-whispered.

"Your speech, dumb-bell," Elsa snarled back.

"Oh right, sorry" Anna mumbled apologetically. Turning to the crowd, she began with a confident 'Hi everyone'. There were encouraging smiles and nods around the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a year ago I didn't know if I would ever see my sister again. Fearing that she would hurt those around her, Elsa ran away into the mountains to be alone. Since then, it is your love and your support that has been her greatest encouragement," she rattled off without pause. Taking a breath, she continued more calmly. Her short and sweet speech was greeted with loud applause when she finished and she felt Elsa squeeze her shoulder.

"That was beautiful," Elsa whispered, "You had me worried for a second but it was beautiful."

"Thanks," Anna grinned. She looked across to Kristoff who winked at her and gave her a thumbs-up making her turn pink.

"It's warm tonight," she clarified, catching her sister's eye and fanning herself.

"Maybe I should conjure up some ice for you," Elsa smirked. Anna's face lit up, having completely missed Elsa's sarcasm.

"Ooh, ooh, Kristoff has something for you," she told Elsa, while beckoning to him. Kristoff walked up and bowed low.

"Your Majesty," he said somberly, "As the Official Ice Master, it is my great pleasure to present you with a gift." "Why are you giggling?" he asked, annoyed at the outbreak of tittering that his pronouncement caused.

"I'm sorry, Kristoff," Elsa mumbled, controlling herself while Anna chose to continue her guffaws, "It's just that we've never heard you talk like this before."

Kristoff grinned. "It does make me feel like a stuffed shirt," he admitted, "I hope you like the gift, Your Majesty."

The crowd broke out into oohs and aahs, as the doors opened and his ice sculpture was brought in on a little platform that he had designed for it. The ice glimmered and glittered in the light and Elsa gazed in wonder.

"It's beautiful, Kristoff, thank you," she managed, enthralled by the sculpture. Applause broke out across the room and Kristoff beamed happily as he glanced over at Anna and Olaf clapping enthusiastically.

"We will find a place of honour to install this sculpture," Elsa stated, signaling to Kai who in turn motioned for the foot-men to wheel the sculpture out and find a place to display it.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Kristoff bowed again, "And now perhaps you would also honour me with the first dance?" he continued, as the band began to play.

"Ah well, I don't dance," Elsa replied, abashed, "Why don't you ask Anna?"

"Nonsense, I'm sure you are a wonderful dancer," Kristoff pressed, extending a hand.

"Well, maybe just one," Elsa agreed, still blushing red. She took Kristoff's hand and they took their place on the dance floor.

"Did Anna put you up to this?" Elsa asked they weaved across the floor, having noted Kristoff's repeated glances in her sister's direction.

"Oh no," Kristoff drew his eyes back with an effort, "It wasn't anything of the sort, Your Majesty."

"Ah ah ah," Elsa chided him, smiling, "First, I keep asking you to call me Elsa. And second, I know you really care about Anna so you don't have to keep craning your neck and risk whiplash. I'm happy for you two."

"Thank you, Your Maj… Elsa," Kristoff corrected himself hastily. After a few minutes in silence as he wrestled with himself, he rose to the surface again.

"May I ask you a question, Your Majesty? I mean, Elsa."

"Of course you can, Kristoff," Elsa laughed, "What's on your mind?"

Kristoff told her what was on his mind, keeping a wary eye on the ceiling. He was quite afraid of causing an inadvertent blizzard by getting on her bad side. But he needn't have worried. After a few moments of open-mouthed staring, Elsa delightedly gave her approval and set his mind at ease. They moved through the dance floor, talking much more freely until the music finally came to an end. Kristoff bowed to the queen and headed to the nearest waiter seeking refreshment, while Elsa made her way to the front of the room to join Anna.

"Did you have a nice dance?" Anna asked her.

"Oh yes," Elsa mumbled, grinning ear to ear.

"What's the matter with you?" Anna queried, eyeing her sister keenly, "You look like you're going to burst."

"Oh, nothing. It's nothing," Elsa controlled herself, "Just enjoying the party, that's all."

Any further probing from Anna was prevented by the dignitaries lining up to offer greetings to the queen. Guiltily abandoning her sister, Anna snuck away to join Kristoff.

"I take it you're not a big fan of the official side of the queen's business?" Kristoff asked her, sipping his champagne and graciously offering her a glass as well.

"It's not bad," Anna hedged, not wanting to admit that she found it extremely dull, "But it gets tiring soon."

"Then perhaps you'd like to dance?" Kristoff set down his glass, "Or is that too tiring too?"

"I think I could keep up," Anna grinned. They headed out to the dance floor and found a space among the already enthusiastic leg-shakers. Elsa glanced over at the two of them and smiled to herself at Anna's neat escape.

Their first few minutes of the pirouetting were conducted in comfortable silence. With eyes only for each other, they narrowly avoided a couple of nasty collisions. It was Anna who came out the trance first.

"You clean up nice," she stated, looking over his slick outfit.

Kristoff's smiled shyly. Not being used to formal attire, he had just been feeling like his collar was trying to strangle him but Anna's compliment cast such discomfort from his mind. His thoughts turned to the importance of reciprocation.

"Thanks, you look beautiful too," he responded, "I mean, not too. I'm not saying I'm beautiful. I just meant… you know."

Anna giggled at his stuttering attempts at coherence. Reaching up, she pecked his cheek to set him at ease. Relaxing a bit, he ventured to ask about her day.

"Oh it was a doozy," she told him, "First, Elsa woke me up at the crack of dawn mumbling about disasters and nightmares, and I had to calm her down. And then…"

Kristoff smiled as he listened to Anna's recounting of the day's adventures. He never tired of listening to her talk. He loved the way her voice would rise and fall excitedly and her words would gush as a torrent. He loved the way her nose crinkled when she laughed at her own jokes. He loved the way she gesticulated wildly as she spoke to make her point, although a particular vigorous swing of her arm nearly knocked out the King of Brimstad. He loved how tightly she held on to him and how her eyes never left his. He loved…

"Right?" Anna suddenly asked, jerking him out of his reverie.

"I love you," Kristoff blurted out before he could stop himself.

Anna stopped in her tracks, forcing Lady and Lord Valdemar to stagger aside to avoid crashing into them. Kristoff gulped. He had never said it before. Oh, he had implied heavily but he had never been able to work up the courage to say it. Anna's eyes grew large and her mouth opened but no sound came.

"I… you…" she finally managed.

"I do," Kristoff hastened to reiterate, deciding that once the hand was on the plough there was no looking back, "I do love you, Anna. And I don't know if you feel the same way and I don't know why I took so long to tell you but I'm glad I just…"

"Kristoff!" Anna cut short his disjointed rambling, having calmed her own chaotic thoughts, "I love you too."

"You do?" he asked; hope dawning that this was possibly not the most embarrassing moment in his life.

"Of course I do, you chuckle-head" she squealed, causing Baron Sebastian to shy like a startled mustang and completely lose step, "What did you think?"

"I… I don't know what to think," Kristoff replied, feeling rather light-headed. He looked down at the excited young woman nearly hopping with glee before him and he felt his resolve strengthening. It was time.

"I need some air, do you need some air?" he queried, leading her off the dance floor, "I think we should get some air." Anna let herself be led out to the empty balcony where the cool evening breeze rustled through the curtains. The muffled sounds of merriment behind them didn't register much in their consciousness, as they stood there alone.

"Well…" Kristoff began. In the moonlight, he looked down at Anna's bright countenance turned up to him. He could feel his resolve starting to ebb now. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he gripped the little box that rested within and found his second wind.

"Anna," he tried again, and then paused as he heard his name being called.

"What was that?" Anna asked, as they both looked around for the source of the interruption, "Was that Olaf?"

"It sounded feminine," Kristoff replied, peering at the curtains as if they held some deep, dark secret.

"Kristoff," came the cry, much more clearly from the garden below. Anna and Kristoff peered over the balcony and down into the dark garden. Nothing stirred and they were beginning to wonder if they had been hearing things when they saw one of the 'stones' in garden uncoil itself. A grey, round face atop a small, dwarfish body peered up at them.

"Bulda?" Kristoff called down, "Is that you?"

"Kristoff, you need to come to the forest right now," Bulda whispered loudly.

"Can it wait?" Kristoff pleaded, "I'm in the middle of something here."

Bulda didn't appear to have heard and a loud sniff came up to them. "What's the matter?" he asked, now concerned."

"It's Pabbie," Bulda managed to utter, "Kristoff, he's been kidnapped."

* * *

A/N: A slightly longer chapter this time as I wanted to get the plot moving by the end of it. Thanks to all who have faved/followed/reviewed. Suggestions and feedback are always welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**Questions Answered and Unanswered**

It was a somber group that stood around the castle gates on the day after the anniversary as the last of the visitors' ships disappeared into the horizon. As if to reflect the general atmosphere, the sky chose to deck itself with dark clouds, obscuring the sun. Kristoff had made many friends at the castle in the year gone by, with his ready smile and eagerness to help, and they all offered silent support as he finished packing up his necessities. Eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep, Kristoff ran a hand across his face and stood up. He had traded in his tuxedo for clothes more suited for an expedition. Attired in a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, rugged trousers suited for riding, and boots, he had admitted to Kai that he felt much more comfortable than he had the previous night. As he loaded his paraphernalia on Sven's back, the reindeer nuzzled him and uttered a low cry.

"I know, buddy, I'm worried too," Kristoff answered, stroking his muzzle. The news of Grand Pabbie's kidnapping had hit him hard. After Bulda's visit to the castle, he had rushed to the forest along with Anna. There the other trolls had filled them in. A group of riders had emerged out of the darkness while they had been going about their business. Usually able to turn into rocks to avoid detection, the sudden appearance of the riders had caught them off guard. They had all curled up but the riders had seen Grand Pabbie and they had gone straight for him. Picking him up, they had made off immediately, without a word. Some of the trolls had tried to give chase but the fast horses had outrun them almost immediately. Kristoff had searched frantically around but he found no clues to the identity of the riders or of their purpose in kidnapping Grand Pabbie. He had, however, located hoof prints, and was now resolved to follow them on a quest to find and bring him back.

As he patted Sven, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew her touch and he knew that she was upset. Upon returning to the castle from the valley in the night, they had had an almighty row, with Anna insisting that she would join him and Kristoff equally adamant that he would not take her. It had ended with her storming away in a rage, and for once, he had not followed her. Now, as he prepared to depart, he knew he didn't want to leave things the way they were between them. Resolving to be contrite but firm, he turned, hitching up his features into a smile which promptly collapsed into a look of surprise. Anna, too, had shed her usual princess-ly clothes in favour of a simple brown skirt with a black bodice and a summer-green shirt. It wasn't, however, her outfit that had nonplussed Kristoff but rather the fact that she was tightly clenching the reins of her horse, Mille.

"Don't even think it, Kristoff," she muttered with a determined tilt to her chin as he opened his mouth to speak.

"But Anna," he tried to reason with her, "We don't know what's out there. I don't even know where we're going."

"I don't care. If you're going then so am I," she stated emphatically.

"Look Anna," he tried a harsher tack, "The people who took Grand Pabbie did so for a reason. And whatever that reason is, it must be bad. That means these are dangerous people and I don't want you anywhere near them. I am not taking you."

"Fine," she responded, coolly staring back at him, "I'll just go by myself. I can follow hoof prints too, you know."

"But… but…," Kristoff sputtered, running out of ideas. Glancing behind Anna he saw reinforcements. "Your Majesty, would you please tell your sister that this is a bad idea?" he growled.

"Anna is old enough to make her own decisions," Elsa responded as she joined them, "I don't believe anything I say is going to be of much help."

"Kristoff, Anna can take of herself," she continued, laying an encouraging hand on his arm as he sulked, "After all, last year if she hadn't come after me, and then we wouldn't be here today." Kristoff let out a long breath and nodded curtly. It was obvious that though not actually disgruntled, he was from being gruntled.

Turning to Anna, Elsa hugged her tight. "I am scared for you," she told her sister, "But I know you're going to do this and I trust you. Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," Anna assured her, "And don't worry. I'm in good hands," she continued, gesturing to Kristoff, "Just like last year."

Kristoff couldn't help but smile. He hated that Anna could make his resolve wilt so easily, but he loved her all the more for it. Stepping forward, Anna put her hand up to his face.

"You need to understand, Grand Pabbie means a lot to me too. I want to find out who did this just as badly as you."

"But what if something happens to you, Anna?" he shot back, his mind filled with vague terrors and fears, "What if you get hurt or… or…," he couldn't bring himself to say it. "What will I do? I nearly lost you last year. I don't want to lose you again," he finished softly.

"And what would I do if something happened to you?" Anna asked him, her face bare inches from his, "Knowing that I could have been with you but I wasn't? I want to be with you, Kristoff, because I can't be without you."

Kristoff's eyes opened wide. He recognized the opportunity and swallowed hard. He knew he could wait, he could do it later, but something pressed him to go for it. _It isn't the right time_, the voices of doubt murmured, _not now when Grand Pabbie's been taken_. _There's no better time_, his confidence asserted, _you heard what she said_.

He heard Elsa cough discreetly and mumble something about going back to the castle. Anna stepped back to bundle the additional items that Gerda had brought out onto Mille. He gulped hard again. He had to do it now.

"Wait," he croaked indistinctly and then coughed. "Your Majesty, would you wait a moment, please?" he said more clearly. Elsa paused, unsure of why he had asked her to stop. Anna turned to face him again, prepared to shoot down any new objections that he might bring forth. The wind had died down and the chirping of the birds seemed to have been stilled. Even the gregarious Olaf stopped his chattering. It was as if the whole world was waiting with bated breath.

Kristoff took Anna's hands in his. "Anna, I've spent my whole life happily alone. I had Sven, my ice business and I couldn't ask for much more. All the way up to last year, I had a fairly simple life. And then in the course of two days, I nearly got eaten by wolves, nearly fell down a chasm, actually fell off a cliff, got chased around by a snow monster, rode through blizzards and, well, it was pretty intense for a guy like me."

He saw understanding dawn on Anna's face and pushed on. "And I would live through that every day of my life, if you'll be there with me. Of course, I can't promise you that it will be quite as exciting every day. But I can promise you that I will love you every day and I know that that is an adventure that will never end."

Kristoff delved into his pocket to retrieve the box that had been residing within for nearly a month. Anna gasped, trying her hardest not to skip for joy, as her hand flew up to her mouth. Extricating the case, Kristoff pried it open. At just that moment, the sun broke through the clouds, shining its rays down on the beautiful ring that lay on the plush velvet in the box.

"Anna, princess of Arendelle, will you…," he began again.

"Yes," Anna shrieked before he could finish, "Yes, yes, yes, yes."

"Yes?" Kristoff repeated, just to make sure he had heard correctly.

"Yes," Anna confirmed, her eyes sparkling. Hands shaking, Kristoff slipped the ring onto her finger and then he took her in his arms. They kissed as the group around them broke out in cheers, with much hat-throwing and handkerchief-waving, for the young princess and her suitor.

Once they broke the clinch, they turned to the queen. "Elsa, I… we still do need your blessing," Anna said earnestly. Kristoff and Elsa shared a knowing look as they smiled at her.

"I've already asked her," Kristoff confessed, "Yesterday at the dance."

"And I said yes," Elsa finished, her eyes swimming with tears of joy, "I am so happy for you two." She drew her sister into a bear hug as Kai, Gerda and the others came up to congratulate them.

Several minutes of back-slapping, hand-shaking and hugs later, the newly engaged couple finally set off on Sven and Mille, with Olaf in tow, as Elsa and the others waved them off. They made a quick stop to tell Kristoff's troll family the good news, which was received with their normal vociferous abandon. It took all their charm to fight off efforts by the family to marry them again right then and there. Anna astutely diverted them with the promise of a lavish ceremony when they returned with Grand Pabbie, correctly inferring that the mention of Grand Pabbie would serve to cool passions. With the good wishes of the family ringing in their eyes, they started out again on the trail of the troll-nappers.

Riding through the kingdom as the sun began its trip downward to the horizon, Anna and Kristoff kept up a steady pace. The passage of time went unnoticed in the flush of excitement that their engagement had brought on. Conversation flowed incessantly, helped in no small part by Olaf's inability to be silent. Wedding and post-wedding ideas were mooted, edited, and discarded rapidly only to begin the cycle again.

Kristoff contributed as much as he could and when he couldn't, he listened with a smile to Olaf and Anna's animated discussions. He was glad that their thoughts weren't dwelling too much on what lay ahead. But his were, and he wondered at what they were about to encounter. His fears for Grand Pabbie's safety and for Anna's well-being returned. And then as he gazed on her face, illuminated by the setting sun and radiating joy as she chuckled at one of Olaf's statements, they subsided.

_We'll face it together_, he thought to himself, _We will_. Anna caught his eye and smiled and he grinned back as they rode on into the gathering dusk.

* * *

**A/N**: Hope you're all enjoying the story so far and as always, suggestions and feedback are welcome. Thanks to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.

Wishing everyone a happy and blessed 2014.


	5. Chapter 5

**On The Trail**

"Well, we're not in Arendelle anymore," Kristoff observed as they emerged out of the valley and into the rolling plains that lay on the outskirts of the kingdom of Brimstad. Anna felt her heart beat a little faster. Her earlier airy confidence had waned and their passing out of Arendelle made her only too aware of the uncertainty and danger involved in the mission that they were on.

"Do you think King Theodore could've…," Kristoff pondered aloud as they rode along.

"No way," Anna answered quickly, knowing what he was going to ask, "He was good friends with Father and he's known for being a fair and just King. He's not one to go around kidnapping people… or trolls."

Kristoff nodded, unwilling to continue the discussion upon noting Anna's jutting chin which always indicated that she didn't want to hear anything further on the subject. Their trail, too, did not appear to be leading into the inhabited areas of Brimstad. They rode along in silence without passing a single person or residence. In the diminishing light, the empty fields stretched on with no indication of human presence.

Following the prints in the rapidly deepening darkness was becoming harder but they pressed on until they came to the edge of the Brimstadmarka, the forest of Brimstad. Kristoff called a halt and dismounted. He took a few steps into the forest to reconnoiter and then walked back out to the waiting entourage.

"Its pitch dark in there," he told Anna, "We might get lost if we continue. I think it's best that we make camp here for the night."

Anna nodded and slid gracefully off Mille. She began to unload their needs for the night as Kristoff headed into the forest to gather firewood. She fed Sven and Mille and was giving them a drink of water when Kristoff returned, his arms full of kindling. He dropped the wood on dry ground and grinned as he watched Anna scratching both Sven and Mille under the chin and cooing to them, as they in turn nickered with pleasure. Anna had a way with animals and they seemed to be naturally attracted to her. Kristoff knew that Sven would fiercely protect Anna from any harm and he was sure Mille would too. Dragging himself back to the task at hand, he looked down at the firewood only to give a shout of displeasure which caused Anna to swivel around in alarm.

"Olaf! Your flurry's dribbling snowflakes all over the firewood," Kristoff groaned, shooing away the snowman.

"But I want to help," Olaf rejoined plaintively.

"Quite… and I appreciate it," Kristoff quickly added, catching Anna's eye, "But we'd like to have a fire going tonight and snow isn't too conducive to fire starting. Go help Anna."

Olaf looked around at Anna and then back to Kristoff. "She isn't doing anything," he told him, eliciting an offended '_Hey'_ from Anna. Kristoff ignored the snowman and busied himself with getting the fire going. Unconcerned at this slight, Olaf gamboled away to pass the time with his buddy, Sven, and his new friend, Mille.

With the job of entertaining Sven and Mille taken on by Olaf, Anna walked over to Kristoff who had managed to get the wood lit, and was coaxing it into a larger blaze. The flames gradually spread through till the fire was merrily crackling. As the shadows lengthened, Kristoff began preparing as sumptuous a repast as he could from their limited provisions while kindly but firmly rebuffing Anna's offers of assistance. Anna had tried her hand at cooking once and the resulting debacle had nearly caused Gustav to hand in his notice.

"It's like you don't trust me," Anna huffed, her arms crossed.

"I do trust you. With my life," Kristoff assured her, "But not with my food. Ow!"

Anna stuck out her tongue at him, as he rubbed his arm to ease the pain caused by the well-aimed pebble. She then stomped off to soothe her bruised dignity by interacting with a sympathetic reindeer, mare and snowman. She pointedly ignored Kristoff's dinner calls until a plate of food was thrust under her nose. Pride and hunger tussled briefly on the issue of whether to accept or not, with hunger finally beating off its opponent. Anna took the plate with a murmured '_Thanks_' and began to eat. Grinning, Kristoff seated himself opposite her and joined in.

As they ate, Anna had to admit that she couldn't have rustled up anything close to what Kristoff had managed to. Growing up alone and fending for himself had honed Kristoff's culinary skills and it showed. Kristoff watched Anna's face soften as she ate heartily.

"How's the food?"

"Mrrfmm…" Anna mumbled indistinctly.

"Why, thank you," Kristoff replied, his grin growing wider.

"Oh, you're incorrigible," Anna snorted, a smile nonetheless creasing the corners of her mouth. The rest of the meal was completed in a relaxed silence. After dinner, Kristoff allowed Anna to help him brew a pot of tea, thereby restoring her good humour completely. They sat around the fire, steaming mugs of tea in hand, and, in the company of Olaf, they conversed on diverse topics which ranged from the mundane to the bizarre.

Anna let out a humongous yawn as the fire began to die down. "You should get some sleep," Kristoff told her, as he stoked the flames with fresh wood, "I'll keep watch."

"All night? You should get some sleep too."

"I can keep watch," Olaf chimed in, "I don't sleep anyway."

Anna concurred with the suggestion but Kristoff remained unconvinced. He knew only too well that the little snowman's good intentions could go awry due to his rather short term attention span.

"Maybe I should stay up with…" Kristoff began before subsiding under Anna's frosty gaze.

"Fine, fine. Olaf, you're on watch," Kristoff told the snowman, "Give a shout if you see anything."

"Yessir," Olaf saluted. Picking up an unused stick of wood to us as a mock spear, he proceeded to march around the fire, drawing smiles from Anna and Kristoff. Anna curled up on the sheet she had been sitting on and propped a rolled up blanket as a make-shift pillow in preparation for slumber. Kristoff remained seated on a little rock across the fire from where Anna lay.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Anna queried, arching an eyebrow.

"I will, I'm just not too sleepy right now," he hastened to reassure her, "Watching Olaf should knock me out pretty soon though."

"Kay," Anna mumbled through another big yawn, "I thought you were going to sing your usual lullaby to Sven."

"I haven't done that in a while," Kristoff admitted, "I find that the first bit doesn't hold quite as true anymore. It needs some new lyrics." Anna smiled as her eyes drifted shut and her breathing relaxed for a moment before her eyes flew open again.

"What's the matter?" Kristoff asked in surprise as she scrambled to her feet, "Are there bugs around?"

He jumped to his feet too, completely mystified, as she marched around the fire to where he was seated without a word. As he ventured to ask her what the matter was again, she reached up and kissed him.

"Good night," she smiled as she stepped back.

"Guhnight," Kristoff gurgled, a crooked grin spreading across his face as he watched her return to her make-shift bed.

Anna lay down again and soon the exertions of the day took their toll as sleep overtook her. Kristoff sat back down, watching her as she slept. The minutes ticked by and he felt Olaf plop down beside him after a while.

"Man, this marching is hard work," Olaf gasped, the sweat of melted snow bedewing his forehead. Receiving no reply, he looked up at the young man on whose face the lop-sided grin was going on all cylinders.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Kristoff asked, still gazing reverently at Anna as the firelight danced on her freckled cheeks and reflected off her red-gold hair. Olaf, interpreting that the question was meant to be rhetorical, made no reply and continued to fan himself with one hand.

"And she said she'd marry me," he murmured before pausing. The smile drained off his face as the enormity of what that meant slowly sank into him.

"But she can't marry me," he suddenly uttered, the statement causing Olaf to jump in surprise.

"Whoa, whoa. What?" Olaf asked, perplexed at this sudden appearance of cold feet.

"She's a princess, Olaf," Kristoff clarified, "And I'm… just an ice harvester."

"You're the Official Ice Master for Arendelle."

"That's not a thing," Kristoff shot back; "It's just something Elsa made up. Let's face it, Olaf. She deserves to be with a prince who can give her anything her heart desires. I'm not a prince and never will be. The only way I could have blue blood is if I ask Elsa to freeze me."

"Okay, first of all, that's a terrible joke, so court jester is out of the question for you," Olaf said drily, "And second, are you insane? Are you listening to yourself?"

"Yes. I shouldn't…"

"No you're not, you dum-dum," Olaf interrupted, and then took a deep breath to calm down.

"Listen, Kristoff," he continued, "I was with Anna at the castle last year. I watched her lose hope; in love and in living. She would have died in that castle but she didn't, and you know why. Because of you. Because you came back for her."

"But…"

"Ah, ah, ah," Olaf snapped impatiently, "I'm talking now. Why do you think she tried getting to you in that blizzard? She was freezing. And she still walked to you even though she knew you were coming."

"Because I was her act of true love," Kristoff managed to get in.

"Because she realized you were her true love. And that kept her going through the storm that should have killed her," Olaf corrected him softly.

"Kristoff, any prince can shower her with gifts. But you're something to her that no one else can be," Olaf concluded his oration, "You're her reason for living."

"And she is mine," Kristoff whispered almost inaudibly, as he looked across at Anna. He exhaled slowly, his earlier chaotic thoughts now calmed.

"Thanks, Olaf," he mumbled, smiling again, "I guess… I guess I just got a bit overwhelmed."

"Well, there has been a lot going on in the last couple of days, so I guess that's understandable," Olaf conceded, "Get some sleep, and you'll have forgotten all about this by morning."

"Yes sir," Kristoff said with a mock-salute as he settled down on the ground, leaning against the rock that he had been sitting on, in preparation for the rest that his body craved.

As Olaf stood to begin his rounds again, Kristoff spoke up again. "You're a pretty good love expert," he grinned.

Olaf bowed slightly, feeling pleased with himself, before starting his tramp around the fire. As Kristoff descended into the sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, he gazed across at Anna. The doubts that had caused his outburst had now been quelled by Olaf's stirring peroration. Drifting into dreamland, he fervently prayed that she would always be the last one he would see at night and the first every morning.

* * *

**A/N**: I must apologise for how long it's taken to get this chapter up. I am going to try to get the next chapter up soon to make up for this.

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far and as always, suggestions and feedback are welcome. A big thank you to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Creeping Through The Woods**

Though the sun was already high in the sky, it was actually the delicious aroma of food sizzling on the fire that woke Anna the next morning. Blinking in the bright sunlight, it took her a few moments to remember where she was. She looked across the rejuvenated fire at Kristoff who was busily preparing their morning meal. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up and waved brightly.

"Good morning, sunshine," he called, returning to his task.

"G'morning," Anna yawned, stretching out her cramped limbs.

"Ready for breakfast?"

A rumble from Anna's stomach was response enough. Quickly freshening up, she joined Kristoff who had two steaming platefuls ready. They ate in silence for a while as water bubbled in the pot for their postprandial cup of tea.

"How much do we have left?" Anna asked, suddenly alive to the fact that they didn't have an unlimited supply of food.

"Not much. Enough for another couple of days perhaps" Kristoff replied. He had been pondering on the same question before breakfast. Wanting to travel light, he had not packed many provisions, hoping that their quest would reach a speedy conclusion. Now, looking over at the forest that they had to enter, he wasn't so sure. Though unconcerned for his own needs, he worried about Anna. He desired only that she should lack nothing but now that they were out all alone on a possibly perilous journey, Kristoff was keenly aware that he was responsible for her and it was a responsibility that he did not intend to take lightly.

"Meh," Anna shrugged, champing happily, "I'm sure Brimstad has a trading post like Oaken's where we can restock."

Kristoff smiled, heartened by Anna's natural optimism. His main human interaction while growing up had been with the ice harvesters, whose lonely and dangerous drudgery gave them a rather jaundiced view of the world. Having a firebrand like Anna come into his life had up-ended his own preconceptions and he had to admit that he was happier for it. Feeling more confident than before, he took the pot off the boil.

"Ooh, let me do it, let me do it," Anna pleaded.

"Fine," Kristoff grinned, handing her the pot. He watched as she precisely measured out the ingredients in careful preparation. A stray lock of hair dropped over her face but she paid it no mind.

"There," she said proudly, handing Kristoff a steaming mug. He took a sip, silently praying that it wouldn't be like dishwater, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not too bad.

"You learn quick," he observed in admiration, taking a larger gulp. Anna beamed with pleasure as she relaxed in the warm rays of the sun, imbibing the brew as well.

Soon, sated and happy, they were on their way again. Following the fast fading trail, they entered the Brimstadmarka but once in the forest, tracking the prints proved to be nearly impossible, with the leaves and assorted flora on the forest floor having covered much of it. The riders had, however, left other signs of their passing and Kristoff and Anna could follow their path by keeping an eye out for broken branches and disturbed greenery.

The trail led them deeper and deeper into the Brimstadmarka. The going was slow, and often they would have to stop and peer around to find a stray broken twig to direct them. The forest canopy kept out much of the sunlight, making the woods dark and cool, but also ominous, which squashed all attempts at conversation.

"I see water," Anna suddenly called out after they had been riding for nearly three hours. Kristoff nodded, having seen it too. He fervently hoped that the tracks wouldn't lead to the lake, fearing that they could lose the trail completely if it did. His prayers remained unfortunately unanswered and twenty minutes later they were at the water's edge. Any hopes that they had misread the tracks were dashed by the sight of multiple hoof prints and human foot prints in the soft mud, indicating that a large group of people had obviously been milling about at that exact spot not long before.

With growing frustration, Kristoff dismounted and began to pace along the waterfront. He had acquired a fairly juicy vocabulary in the company of the ice harvesters which usually served to soothe his frayed nerves, but Anna's presence precluded such a course of action. Denied this recourse, he had to content himself with staring off towards the horizon while breathing heavily.

Noting Kristoff's distress at this unexpected turn of events, Anna got off Mille to offer comfort. Walking up to where he stood, she laid a hand on his arm and saw his hunched shoulders droop at her touch.

"I'm sorry, Kristoff," she said softly, "You did your…"

Her words of solace were abruptly cut off by Kristoff shushing her. "I'm just trying to…," she snapped, miffed at this treatment.

"Shh…," Kristoff murmured urgently, looking around them, "Listen."

Anna subsided and listened intently. Presently, a cracking twig indicated that someone was forcing their way through the underbrush of the forest fairly close to them. Soon, they could also hear mumbling as if the person were engaged in a lively debate with himself. As the sounds came nearer and nearer, Kristoff pulled Anna behind him and beckoned to Olaf, Sven and Mille to stand by their side so as to be ready to ride away at the slightest indication of danger.

Kristoff could feel his heart thumping. They had been riding in pursuit of the kidnappers but now that it appeared that they would run into them, he felt thoroughly unprepared. He could feel Anna's hands gripping his arm and he steeled himself. Whatever was coming, he had to be ready.

They caught a glimpse of a silhouette and the next moment, the source of the noises stumbled into their midst, having tripped over a bush. Close inspection revealed him to be a middle-aged man, casually attired in clothes suited for the outdoors, and wildly waving a fishing rod to fend of foes unknown. He also appeared to be thoroughly soaked, as if he was in the habit of bathing with his clothes on.

"Pirates! Corsairs! Filthy b…" he yelled, before pausing at the sight of the menagerie in front of him. Silence reigned for a few moments as they gaped at each other in astonishment.

Attempting to inject some conviviality into the strained atmosphere, Olaf broke the ice. "Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs," he smiled, running up to this new addition in anticipation of joyous acceptance.

"Yaaarghhh! Get it away," the man shrieked, swinging his fishing rod menacingly at the advancing snowman.

"Don't do that, you'll hurt him," Anna burst out, her blood up at this crude reception being accorded to her dear friend. Letting go of Kristoff's arm, she charged up to the man who turned his attention to her.

"Stay back," he warned, "Stay back, all of you. I don't know who you people are but I have a weapon and I am not afraid to use it."

"You call this a weapon?" Kristoff snorted, as he joined Anna and Olaf. Grabbing the end of the fishing rod, he tugged sharply, dislodging it from its owner's hands. Stunned, the man cringed in fear.

"Please don't hurt me," he wailed, having lost his bravado, "I'm just an ordinary tradesman, hoping to catch some fish."

His misery troubled Anna's kind heart and her anger melted. "Relax," she hastened to calm him, "We're not going to hurt you. Kristoff, give this poor man his fishing rod."

"It's just that I've been having such a bad day," the man said tearfully, receiving his 'weapon' back, "I was nearly killed this morning."

"How horrible. You poor thing," Anna consoled the man, while Kristoff rolled his eyes, his mind already back to the disappointment of having lost the trail of Grand Pabbie's kidnappers.

"Yes, yes," he nodded, "I was minding my own business out on the lake this morning and suddenly a fleet of boats came straight for me. Some men, whom I've never seen before, said that I had no business being on the lake and that I was to return to shore immediately. Well, I wasn't going to stand for being told where I could and could not go so I said that as a citizen of Brimstad, I had every right to sail these waters. At this, they drew out crossbows and swords and pointed them at me and I nearly fainted in terror."

Anna made a sympathetic noise and the man continued, emboldened by his rapt audience. "I rowed like nobody's business back to shore," he went on, "and just as I landed, an arrow struck the stern of my boat. I was so frightened; I fell into the water in my hurry to get away. I could have died," he finished with emphasis.

Kristoff had begun listening intently at the mention of the 'fleet of boats' and he exchanged a knowing look with Anna as the man completed his tale. "Did you see where the boats came from?" he asked him.

"From there," the man pointed out to the large island that was plumb in the middle of the lake. Well covered with vegetation, it appeared to be a perfect place for concealment as any one hiding there would have been invisible from the mainland.

"And you're sure that they weren't Brimstad soldiers?" Anna enquired.

"Absolutely positive," the raconteur affirmed, "Brimstadians are never this rude."

Kristoff looked across at the island again. They now had a course of action. Turning back to the man, he became businesslike.

"Could we rent your boat?"

Their nautical friend proved to be a shrewd business man but Kristoff's greater bulk convinced him to accept their terms. Having now acquired transportation, Anna and Kristoff debated on the best time to approach the island, keeping in mind the presence of guards watching the waters. Though Kristoff's concern for Grand Pabbie prodded him to an early departure, cooler heads prevailed and the decision was made to leave after dark, while charting a direct course toward the island to take advantage of the blackness of the forest behind them.

Kristoff and Anna passed a few impatient hours until night began to fall and the last rays of the setting sun gallantly but vainly attempted to fight off the oncoming darkness . Shadows lengthened across the surface of the placid lake until the only lights piercing the stillness were from homesteads in the far hills. Preparing to leave, Anna draped their dark sheets over the sides of the boat to camouflage it further.

The sky appeared to favour them as Kristoff pushed off from the shore. Inky clouds covered the stars and the moon, obscuring any light and shrouding their passage. Olaf seated himself at the front, eagerly looking forward to the next stage of the adventure. Anna and Kristoff waved to a dejected Sven and a fairly unconcerned Mille. Kristoff had taken great pains to explain to Sven that the boat would not take his weight and, in response, Sven had attempted to prove him wrong by clambering on board, which had nearly capsized the vessel even before they had begun. Kristoff had hoisted the extremely disappointed reindeer out and Sven had resigned himself to the situation.

The going was slow as Kristoff and Anna paddled softly across the lake, trying not to make a sound. They peered at the island, hoping to spot any movement or light which would indicate the presence of those they sought but nothing stirred. Nourished by the lake, the thickly wooded patch of land provided a wall of secrecy that no-one could pierce unless they were actually on the isle itself. Tall trees, with broad foliage, were supplemented by substantial undergrowth to keep out prying eyes. It appeared to be the ideal spot for the plotting of sinister stratagems.

Finally, they beached on a small strip of sand at the tip of the island, having successfully navigated the lake without arousing any suspicion or drawing armed guards. Olaf happily jumped down, eager to explore, as Kristoff helped Anna off the boat.

"Let's head towards the centre," Kristoff whispered, "And don't make a sound. We don't know where the guards might be."

Anna and Olaf nodded their agreement and the three of them entered the woods, heading toward what they hoped was the centre of the island. Walking almost on tip-toe, their senses alert, they kept close to the trees as they made their way further into the forest.

"Look, look," Olaf suddenly burst out in excitement, "There he is."

"No, Olaf, that's just a rock," Kristoff cried out in a loud whisper, but the snowman had already trotted across to the boulder and was now patting it.

"Ooh, maybe that's him," he exclaimed, spying another rock and he gamboled off to commune with it, disappearing from their sight.

"Olaf, Olaf," Kristoff called urgently, afraid that the little snowman would be seen. He took a step to follow him, when he heard the slightest of movements nearby. Distracted by Olaf, they had temporarily ceased their vigilance at quite the wrong time. As Kristoff turned to warn Anna to run, he felt a heavy object descend on the back of his head. Hot flashes of light obscured his vision as pain shot through his skull. He heard Anna scream and tried to reach for her but the advancing darkness took over and he crumpled to the ground.

* * *

**A/N**: I've actually managed a relatively quick update which is probably a first for me. I'm enjoying all your feedback so keep it coming because that helps me write better (hopefully)… and faster (fingers crossed).

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. A big thank you to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Evil That Men Do**

Through the dense fog that had enveloped his mind, Kristoff heard his name being called as if from a great distance. He tried to answer but found that he was unable to make any sound or even to move. The voice grew clearer, as if it was coming closer, but his attempts at a response proved to be in vain. Nearer it came, until it was almost a yell, and slowly the mists began to part. As Kristoff regained consciousness, he managed a low groan. He put a hand up to his head to massage it and was vaguely surprised to feel soft fabric under his skull. Gingerly, he opened his eyes and blinked in the glare of the lantern that had been placed near him. Hazy at first, his field of vision slowly came into focus, dominated by Anna's distressed countenance hovering above his. She had been cradling his head in her lap and now upon seeing him looking back at her, she broke into a relieved smile. The splitting headache, brought on by the blow, had not abated but Kristoff's earlier feeling, of his head being about explode, had now ceased. Becoming more aware of his surroundings, he noted that they appeared to be inside a single-room stone building such as those used for storage. The room was bare, save for a metal door as their only means of entry or exit, and a high, barred window which offered no hope at all.

"Are you ok?" Anna inquired as his eyes scoured the room, "I was so worried." She shifted to relieve her own pins and needles but started in alarm at the agonized yowl that it elicited from Kristoff.

"Sorry, sorry," she soothed, stroking his cheek as he grimaced, "My legs were falling asleep."

"How long was I out for?" he murmured, as the memory of their capture slowly returned.

"A little over half an hour," Anna told him, "They locked us… What do you think you're doing?"

At the word '_they_', a galvanized Kristoff shot up, unmindful of the pain that threatened that cause his head to come apart. Turning to Anna, he asked urgently, "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she assured him, "I think they felt that I wouldn't put up much of a fight but they didn't think that for very long."

"Why?"

"When they knocked you out," Anna explained, "I tried to come to you but a couple of the guards grabbed me. I lashed out and caught one of them on the shin with my boot. This seemed to surprise the other guy and I managed to get my elbow in his face and shook him off. I'd just got to your side when a third guy stepped in front of me and he'd had the sense to bring a crossbow."

"Well, I was angry but not stupid," she shrugged as she continued, "So they talked among themselves about what to do with us, most of which I couldn't catch. The two guys whom I hit seemed a bit upset but the third guy was the boss, I guess, and he said something and then they brought us here and locked us in."

Kristoff listened to her exposition with stunned admiration. "You are amazing," he observed in awe, evoking a shy smile from Anna, "Have I asked you to marry me yet?"

"Yes, you have."

"Good. I could probably use a bodyguard," Kristoff grinned; attempting, and failing, to evade a smack on the arm from Anna.

"How's your head?" she asked with sudden concern, as she reached up to stroke the spot where he had been bashed.

"Its fine, it's fine," he winced, "I have…"

"A thick skull," Anna finished, rolling her eyes, "Don't I know it."

As Kristoff prepared to respond to this stinging repartee, the sound of a key in the lock wiped out all thought of light-hearted banter. They both scrambled to their feet and faced the door, with Kristoff unconsciously moving Anna behind him. A uniformed guard strode in, brandishing a crossbow, followed by another man whose demeanour clearly marked him as the leader. He was in his late thirties, his dark hair tinged with a hint of white. He had an air of authority about him, and his clothes were of noble cut. Anna peered at him thoughtfully, wondering why he looked so familiar.

There was no corresponding flicker of recognition as he sized them up. "What were you doing, sneaking around the island?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"Look, this is all a big mistake," Kristoff bluffed, "I'm just an ice harvester from Arendelle and this is my fiancé. We were out for a picnic and decided to take a boat ride out to the island. We had heard that it was deserted. We didn't know that there were people here."

The man's peered unwaveringly at Kristoff. The cold depths of his blue eyes held no expression and Anna suppressed an involuntary shiver. Kristoff stared right back at him, determined not to show any hesitation that would cause the man to doubt their story.

"Very well," he said at length, apparently satisfied. "Leave them here," he instructed the guard, "We can worry about them later."

The man turned to leave and Kristoff and Anna both spoke up in protest, but their voices died out as a young man stepped into the room. The light shone full on him and Anna's eyes grew large. Kristoff's expression switched rapidly from surprise to rage and his meaty hands clenched into fists till the knuckles stood out white.

"Henrik, I…" began the auburn-headed new entrant and then he froze in his tracks as he too noticed the prisoners.

"Anna?" he goggled, as if unable to believe his eyes.

"Hans?" she queried in reply.

The older man looked from one to the other, perplexed. "Do you know this girl, Hans?" he asked.

His initial shock wearing off, a wicked grin marred the chiseled features of the youngest prince of the Southern Isles. Anna kept a tight grip on Kristoff's arm, afraid that he would do something stupid, and keenly aware of the guard with the crossbow who looked like he would brook no aggression against his master.

"Know her? I was engaged to her last year," Hans sneered, "This is Princess Anna of Arendelle."

"I called off that engagement when I socked you into the fjord," Anna snapped, her cheeks flushing with anger as she moved to stand beside Kristoff while still keeping a hand on his arm. Hans' smirk devolved into an expression of contorted rage. He took a step towards her but was brought to a standstill by the older man putting an arm out in front of him.

"Leave us, Hans," he uttered, his gaze still lingering on Anna.

"But…"

"Leave," he growled, turning to Hans and pointing to the open door.

Hans stalked out of the room like a sulking child and the man turned back to Kristoff and Anna, his inscrutable face now featuring a smile, but a smile that lacked any warmth or humour.

"I must apologise for my brother's behaviour, Your Highness. It is such a pleasure to meet you finally," he said with a little bow.

"And you are?" she asked, attempting to act as royally aloof as Elsa did sometimes.

"Ah, forgive me, where are my manners? I am King Henrik of the Southern Isles," he disclosed, "I am Hans' eldest brother."

"King?" Anna asked in surprise, "I thought Lord Marcus was King of the Southern Isles?"

"Unfortunately our dear father passed away last year," Henrik told them, "It was very sudden. We were all shocked."

There was something in the way he said it that sent another chill through Anna's spine. Looking at the way he strutted around the room, she realized that they were dealing with an extremely ruthless family.

"You should have told us who you are, Your Highness," Henrik was saying, "We would have arranged for more appropriate accommodation for you and…" he looked distastefully at Kristoff.

"Kristoff. Arendelle's official Ice Master," Kristoff muttered darkly. Though he did not actually laugh, Henrik allowed himself a smirk before the cold smile returned. Before he could say anything though, Kristoff spoke up again.

"Enough of this pointless chattering, Henrik," he spat, irked in part by his reaction, "Where's Grand Pabbie?"

"Where's who?" Henrik asked, somewhat taken aback yet still maintaining his controlled manner, "What on earth is a Grand Pabbie?"

"The troll that your goons kidnapped," Kristoff retorted, dimly aware of Anna's hand still clutching his arm. Henrik's face cleared and his gaze turned contemplative.

"So you're here about the troll," he observed, almost to himself. His brow furrowed with concentration, he turned to walk out.

"Where's Grand Pabbie? Why did you kidnap him?" Anna asked.

"Patience, Your Highness," Henrik responded, his foot on the threshold, "You'll have all your answers in due time."

"You're going to attack Arendelle, aren't you?" Kristoff prodded, desperate to learn more about their plans. He knew they had to get word back to the kingdom about the impending assault but, try as might, he just couldn't imagine how they'd be able to, incarcerated as they were.

"No, we just thought we'd drop in for a tea-party," Henrik snorted sarcastically.

"Why?" Anna shot back, angrily, "Because of what happened last year? Because we sent Hans back in chains for trying to kill Elsa and take over Arendelle?"

"Is that what you think this is about?" Henrik gaped at them, appearing genuinely astonished. He stepped back into the room and shut the door behind him.

"Well, he is your brother. And I thought…"

"Hans is an idiot," Henrik sniffed, waving a hand, "His plan may have had some merit but, moron as he is, he stuffed it up."

"Then why…," Anna was now utterly lost.

Henrik leaned against a wall, his arms crossed. "Whatever Hans got himself into, it's really none of my concern," he told them, "After all, I have spent my whole life pretending that he's not my brother."

"I do, however, have eleven other brothers whose intelligence isn't quite as stunted as Hans'," he continued, now pensive, "And though they all pretend to be happy as princes, I know only too well that they are no longer content to stand by and await some, shall we say, happy accident to take me out of the picture."

"I am a busy man and I really have no time to keep fighting off attempts to usurp my throne. If I have to prevent a coup, I have to give each of them a kingdom of their own," he said, pacing around the room, "Hans tried charming his way into your fair kingdom last year, but that's going to take too long, and some of my other brothers wouldn't know charm if it hit them over the head. Force it has to be then."

"But why Arendelle?" Anna demanded, knowing that it sounded cruel to ask only of her own kingdom when the Southern Isles appeared to be on a path to forcefully annex all their neighbouring kingdoms too.

"Because of Elsa," Kristoff cut in before Henrik could answer. "You know that Arendelle's the safest kingdom around right now because of Elsa's powers," Kristoff continued, his mind drawing the inferences from Henrik's explanation, "You know that if you can defeat Arendelle then every other kingdom would fear you. You'd be the strongest king in the land. All the other kingdoms would just surrender rather than risk being attacked. You'll have the whole region in your control in no time."

"Hmm… maybe I have misjudged you," Henrik mumbled softly, glaring at him with some displeasure, "Christopher here seems to have it all figured out."

"It's Kristoff," both Anna and Kristoff said together.

Henrik shot them a condescending smile and left the room, the guard following closely behind. As the key turned in the lock, Kristoff threw himself at the door.

"Where's Grand Pabbie? What have you done with him?" he demanded of the silence without. No response was forthcoming save for some snickers from the guards stationed outside.

* * *

**A/N**: So, what say you of King Henrik? By the way, 3 chapters in a week is definitely a record for me but I absolutely love writing this story. Your reviews are spurring me on so keep them coming and I'll keep the chapters coming.

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. A big thank you to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Midnight Crossing**

Having hammered uselessly at the door for several minutes, Kristoff let loose a muttered oath and stepped back. Fear for Anna, and for Grand Pabbie and for the kingdom of Arendelle was flooding him with adrenaline and he could not seem to stand still. Pacing around the room, he scoured the walls as if staring at them hard enough would cause a door to magically appear. Even though the solid stone remained unmoved by his silent entreaties, yet as a drowning man will clutch at straws so did Kristoff continue his search.

"Kristoff…," Anna tried to reason with the increasingly agitated young man.

"We have to do something. We have to…" Kristoff muttered as her prowled about.

"Stop," Anna nearly yelled. She walked up to him and, grabbing him by the arms, she attempted to shake him. Although their differences in bulk meant that her grand gesture did not end up being as forceful as she had hoped, it did serve to bring Kristoff back to reality.

"Okay, okay," he grunted, and then his shoulders slumped as the feeling of helplessness returned, "It's just… I'm worried about you. I've put you in this situation and now I can't even get you out."

"We are going to get out," she said firmly, "I believe we are. I need you to believe that too."

In the midst of his fretting, Kristoff remembered how he had been the one to calm her when she'd been panicking the previous year and the realization that the tables had now been turned brought a wry smile to his face.

"We are going to get out," he repeated earnestly, and Anna relaxed her grip on him. Silently, she moved to the window, and stood gazing out into the darkness. Kristoff walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. Anna relaxed against his reassuring presence and sighed.

"We have to warn Elsa," Anna murmured, her voice tinged with a note of worry.

"I know," Kristoff agreed, "Don't worry. We'll find a way."

The building they were incarcerated in bordered the woods area and they could barely make out the outlines of the trees and bushes. Suddenly, Anna jumped as a shadowy figure popped into and then out of view.

"Did you…" she whispered.

"Yeah," Kristoff replied in an undertone.

They stared at the bush behind which the silhouette had disappeared. As the moments passed, and nothing stirred, Kristoff opined doubtfully that it had been probably been a tree swaying in the wind. Even as he was speaking, the words froze on his lips as a little white figure frolicked into view.

"Olaf!" Anna joyfully cried out. In the excitement of their capture and the subsequent interview with King Henrik, they had completely forgotten about him. Kristoff clapped a hand over Anna's mouth, afraid that the guards might discover their only link to the outside.

"Hi guys," Olaf sang out in reply, before subsiding as they shushed him loudly.

The intrepid snowman had sensibly taken cover upon seeing them being captured and subsequently imprisoned. Seized with chivalrous zeal, Olaf had spent many fruitless minutes trying to hatch a plan to break them out. He had just discarded a particularly unlikely one when they had spotted him.

"I'm going to get you guys out," Olaf remarked _sotto voce._

"No, Olaf, you're not," Kristoff hissed, "You have to get off this island and back to Arendelle."

"I'm not leaving you guys here," Olaf asserted obstinately.

"We need you to go, Olaf," Anna pleaded, "Arendelle is in danger. You have to warn Elsa."

Quickly the two of them filled the snowman in on Henrik's dastardly plan. Olaf nodded intelligently along with their explanation but he still shook his head when they implored him to leave.

"What's going to happen to you two?" he questioned.

"We'll be fine, Olaf," Kristoff reassured him, "I'll take care of Anna, and we'll get Grand Pabbie. But you need to go now. Elsa's safety is now in your hands." It was an inspired statement. Olaf's love for the sisters was deep and he now stood taller at being put in charge of Elsa's well-being.

"Okay, but make sure you take care of Anna, mister," he warned Kristoff.

"Yes sir, Mister Olaf," Kristoff saluted. Olaf returned the gesture and disappeared into the darkness. Anna and Kristoff sighed, aware only too well that Arendelle's fate rested, at least for the moment, in the stick-hands of a brave, little snowman.

Racing through the woods to where they had left the boat, Olaf began to feel as if the entire forest was conspiring to make him fail. Unseen vines tripped him while low branches smacked him in the face but he shrugged it off as he hurried on through the darkness, desperate to get back to Arendelle to warn Elsa of the imminent threat. Worry nagged at him, and he looked over his shoulder often towards the building where Anna and Kristoff remained. Leaving them behind had been hard for him but, persuaded to do so by their urgent entreaties for him to warn Arendelle, he kept going, unmindful of the frequent tumbles and blows.

Suddenly, through a gap in the trees, he caught a glimpse of water. Already panting with exertion, Olaf nevertheless pushed on, trotting as fast as he could. He had got to within a few feet of the end of the tree line when he stopped short. The boat was now in view and next to it stood two soldiers, deep in discussion. Olaf crept up as close as he dared, keeping a wary eye on the men.

After a few minutes, they appeared to come to a decision. One of the men lifted an object over his head. Olaf saw the glint of steel in the moonlight and suppressed a cry of anguish as the soldier brought the axe down on the hull. Repeated blows rained down on the craft, reducing its sea-worthiness to zero. With deepening gloom, Olaf watched as the men finally stepped back to survey their handiwork. The little boat had been smashed beyond recognition, now only useful as firewood.

Apparently satisfied, the men strode back into the forest. Olaf quickly hid himself behind a nearby bush and watched them go past. Once he was sure that they were gone, he snuck out and ran down to the edge of the water. If he had been hoping that the damage to the boat might not be as bad when viewed up close, it proved to be quite the opposite. It was quite obvious that shoving the vessel into the water would result in it sinking very quickly to the bottom.

In a rare act of petulance, Olaf picked up a piece of wood, which had been dislodged from the boat by the soldier's enthusiastic chopping, and flung it into the lake. As a cathartic act, it failed to do much good and Olaf continued to pace around on the sand. He felt utterly lost and though he racked his brain, no ideas were forthcoming. Despondently, he looked out across the water, vainly squinting in the darkness with the foolish hope of catching sight of his four-legged friends on the opposite shore. As his eyes roamed over the lake, he suddenly noticed the stick that he had chucked in, drifting lazily on the surface. It was as if a bright light had been switched on and he smacked his head, marveling at his own stupidity.

"I'm such an idiot," the snowman chuckled as he straightened his carrot-nose that had been knocked askew by his buffet to the head. Gingerly, Olaf strode into the chilly water of the lake. Though the cold did not concern him, the increasing depth did bring on a twinge of panic. And then as his height could no longer keep him upright, he felt his feet leave the lakebed as he wafted up to the surface, floating easily in the placid water.

His sigh of relief turned into a squeak as his body parts began to drift away in different directions. Quickly bringing them all together again, Olaf commenced steering himself towards the Brimstad shore with a half-breaststroke, half-butterfly movement.

"Thank you, little stick," he gurgled as he passed by his source of inspiration.

Anyone looking over the water would have witnessed a strange sight indeed as a little flurry glided silently across the lake, dribbling snow on a determined snowman. Slowly but surely, he pulled towards the Brimstadmarka, driven by his desire to deliver the message, entrusted to him, to Elsa at the earliest.

The great firmament grew lighter as he sloshed through the water but he did not pause to admire its wakefulness. As the first rays of dawn were painting the sky pink, he finally found himself near the shore and, lifting his eyes, he could make out a couple of vague shapes.

"Sven! Mille!" he cried out and then coughed, having swallowed a sizeable amount of water. An enquiring whinny came to him in the stillness of the advancing morn. Sure now of his direction, he made for where he knew the mare and the reindeer to be. Moments later, he strode out onto land and was immediately bowled over by an overjoyed Sven.

It took Olaf a few minutes to fight off the affections of his furry comrade. Managing to calm him down, he sought to apprise Sven and Mille of the latest developments.

"We have to get back to Arendelle to warn Elsa," he told Sven and Mille in all seriousness, "The kingdom of the Southern Isles is going to attack soon."

Sven looked out across the lake and then back to Olaf. "I'm sorry, Sven," Olaf answered his questioning grunt, "Kristoff and Anna are being held prisoner there but I promise you, we will come back for them. Right now, we have to get back to the castle."

Sven's gaze returned to the island and then he shook his head, braying his intention. "What do you mean you're not coming?" Olaf demanded, "You have to, Sven. We need you too."

Defiantly, Sven plonked down on the ground and refused to budge. Olaf coaxed and cajoled but to no avail. The reindeer's mind was made up. "Fine," Olaf snapped finally, "Mille and I will go. Without you."

Sven looked determinedly away. Olaf swung himself onto Mille's back and turned the even-tempered mare towards Arendelle. He shot one last glance at Sven and as he saw the reindeer staring pitifully at the island, his anger melted.

"They'll be ok, Sven," he said softly. The reindeer uttered a low cry as if to say '_I can't leave till I'm sure_'. Nodding in empathy, Olaf urged Mille forward.

"We'll be back soon," he called out to Sven as he rode away. They passed into the shadows of the forest and soon Sven could no longer hear the sounds of them galloping through the foliage.

As the sun peeked out over the horizon, it bathed the resolute reindeer in its warm rays. Kristoff had been Sven's constant companion since they had been little and their friendship had grown stronger day by day. Leaving him behind as prisoner was something Sven just could not bring himself to do. Coming to a decision, Sven leapt up and, racing down to the lake's edge, he plunged into the water.

* * *

**A/N**: Well, the law of averages caught up with me. Just when I was looking forward to finishing up some more quick chapters, I got so loaded with work that I've barely had time to write. Still, this was a fun chapter since I got to focus on everybody's favourite snowman. Watch this space because it's going to get interesting now.

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. A big thank you to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	9. Chapter 9

**An Impromptu History Lesson**

At the little cabin that was serving as their prison, Anna and Kristoff sat with their backs to the wall as they watched the morning sun's rays streaming in through the window. Unable to sleep, they had talked through the night, touching on every possible topic except their own predicament, in an effort to keep their spirits up, in situation that was rapidly turning bleaker by the minute. As the chirping of birds heralded the new dawn, they had finally run out of themes for discussion and had lapsed into silence.

Engrossed in kicking himself for allowing them to be captured, Kristoff absently rubbed the bruise at the back of his head, a grim look on his face. Anna knew only too well his penchant for self-recrimination and, loath to watch his struggle, she nuzzled up to him, laying her head on his shoulder. Kristoff managed a watery grin at her affections and rested his cheek against her head, drawing comfort from her proximity.

"Kristoff?" Anna's quiet voice broke the silence.

"Mm?"

"Do you think Olaf made it?"

"I think so. I figure he should be halfway to Arendelle by now," Kristoff replied, doing some quick calculations. He had been initially doubtful of the snowman's ability to escape the island undetected. But as the night had passed with the distinct lack of any alarms being raised, he had become more confident of Olaf's success.

"I hope he's ok," Anna brooded.

"Hey, don't worry," Kristoff soothed, gently turning her face to his as he looked into her eyes, "This is Olaf we're talking about. The guy fell off a cliff and got swept away by a blizzard and he managed to shake it off like it was nothing. He'll be fine."

He looked down at her with an encouraging smile and she reciprocated, grateful for the reassurance. Beginning to say something, she paused as the jarring noise of the key clanging in the lock shattered the moment. They turned to the door, expecting Henrik to strut in as he was wont to do. The next moment they were scrambling to their feet as an elderly troll was shoved into the room before the door slammed shut again. Clad in a green cloak adorned with yellow crystals, the troll's bushy eyebrows arched in surprise as he saw his fellow captives.

"Grand Pabbie!" Kristoff exclaimed in relief, rushing forward and dropping to his knees in front of the troll-king who had adopted him.

"Kristoff? Anna? What are you doing here?" Grand Pabbie enquired, still appearing baffled by their presence.

"We've come to rescue you," Anna told him, as she knelt by Kristoff's side.

"Rescue me?"

"Well, I know this isn't much of a rescue so far," she agreed, looking around at their solid stone cell, "But don't worry, we're working on a way to get out."

"Oh, this is not good," Grand Pabbie shook his head, apparently unwilling to share in her breezy confidence.

"Not g… What do you mean, not good?" Kristoff queried, mystified by Grand Pabbie's lack of excitement at their company.

"Ah… I'm sorry, my boy, you must forgive my preoccupation" Grand Pabbie said earnestly, taking his hand, "I am glad to see you. But, unfortunately, your coming here has complicated an already delicate situation."

"What's going on, Grand Pabbie?" Kristoff asked, mollified yet still befogged, "What does Henrik want?"

"He wishes to launch an attack on Arendelle."

"Yes, we know that," Anna said, "But how is he going to do it? And what does he want with you?"

"It is a long story," Grand Pabbie sighed, "Before I tell you about his plans, I must tell you a bit more about trolls and about how our fates came to be so closely linked with the kingdom of Arendelle."

The elderly troll seated himself on the floor and Kristoff and Anna took up more comfortable positions. There was silence for a while as Grand Pabbie gathered his thoughts and then he embarked on his tale.

"The two of you know about our little troll family that lives in the Valley of the Living Rock," he began, "But what you don't know is that we are not the only ones. There are, in fact, four troll clans that exist and the four clans all live far apart so as not to infringe on each other's territories. We are, of course, the stone-trolls and the other three clans are the snow-trolls, the wind-trolls and the water-trolls and each is headed by a troll king, like me. However, though we are all trolls, we do not share the same characteristics."

"You have known our family all your life, Kristoff, and you know that we are amiable folk," he continued, "We seek the good of others and do not interfere in matters that do not concern us. We are, alas, the only ones who think this way. The other clans are, shall we say, rather more mischievous."

Grand Pabbie waved his hands in the still air, drawing Kristoff and Anna's gaze to the wall that was to their side. Shadows began to form as Grand Pabbie continued to gesticulate and they slowly took the form of three trolls. As they watched in fascination, Grand Pabbie resumed his narrative.

"Many years ago, Rabbie, Babbie and Gabbie…," he paused, graciously waiting for Anna's giggling to be quickly modified to a coughing fit, "the kings of the snow, wind and water trolls got together and hatched a sinister plot. They loved to wreck havoc with their powers on the race of men and so they decided to combine their abilities to achieve greater disorder. Drawing from our arcane magic, they fashioned a mirror. Anything reflected in the mirror would be ravaged by icy storms and any person unlucky enough to look into it would turn, slowly but surely, to ice."

The shadows on the walls enacted the narration perfectly, showing strong winds and snow storms devastating country sides and freezing people. Anna gasped and shrank back against Kristoff who gulped softly, the memories of the previous year still fresh in their memories.

"What did they want?" Anna managed a question.

"Power," Grand Pabbie replied grimly, "Each of their clans had been sidelined to forests and wildernesses, as men established sovereignty over lands which the troll kings believed to be truly theirs. Rabbie, Gabbie and Babbie had chafed at this, and in an attempt to re-establish their supremacy, they decided to join forces. With their magical mirror, they went to every kingdom around and demanded that they submit to them. Ruin and desolation came to those that resisted whereas those that obeyed did not fare much better. Entire kingdoms were brought to their knees as vicious blizzards destroyed crops and lands. People were terrified to leave their homes."

"The three troll clans marched through the land, reveling in their power," he went on, "until they reached the outskirts of the kingdom of Arendelle. They had been unchallenged and they anticipated no opposition at Arendelle either. They had, however, not bargained on the courage of King Magnus and of his heir, Prince Adrian."

"Yes, Adrian as in your father," he told Anna, who had jumped at the name, "They had no intention of letting the trolls demolish their fair country. Mustering their army, they rode to meet the trolls, only too aware that they could be killed but willing to sacrifice their lives if it meant the salvation of Arendelle."

The shadowy scenes now changed to a single, recognizable troll outline. "I, too, had heard with a heavy heart of the evil inflicted by the three troll kings. Up until then, we had had no contact of any sort with people and no one in Arendelle knew of our existence. But when I heard the thundering of hoofs through the valley, I knew what was about to transpire and I made a decision. As the King and Prince rode through with their army, I chose to reveal myself and our family to them."

"It was not easy to convince them of my motives," he related, as the images showed two men arguing with the troll, their swords drawn, "They knew that trolls were behind these destructive events and did not show much inclination to believe that we chose to be different. It was only when I mentioned that we sought to help them defeat the three troll kings that they became more agreeable."

"After a quick discussion on the plan of attack, we moved together to face the oncoming clans," dramatic scenes of the army marching on with the troll king rolling by their side danced on the wall, "I told King Magnus that under no circumstances was the mirror to be broken. If smashed, the shards of glass would spread far and wide and cause even greater damage than the mirror itself had wrought. I could see that the King was not convinced but he agreed."

"As we advanced, the air around us began to change. Snowflakes drifted from the sky as the wind grew chilly. We knew we were getting close," he recounted to the engrossed listeners, "I had told them that they were to avoid looking into the mirror as much as possible and attempt to capture the troll kings. Suddenly, the air was filled with icy projectiles. The kings had seen us coming and were now firing deadly icicles at us. I conjured up as many stony missiles as I could to counter them as the soldiers attacked."

Kristoff and Anna couldn't tear their eyes away from the action on the wall as Grand Pabbie's story grew more gripping. "A snowstorm was now raging and the Arendellian army struggled in the freezing conditions," he told them, "Many were hit by the icy fusillade. Others charged forward to take the mirror only to fall victim to it. Yet they battled on, and the trolls began to retreat, beaten but still in possession of the mirror."

"Realizing that they intended to escape, I rolled forward to try to capture the mirror," his gestures grew more frenzied as the scenes intensified, "But King Magnus and Prince Adrian beat me to it. As their men engaged the other kings, they went after Rabbie who held the mirror."

"Rabbie tried everything he could to drive them off, but they were driven by a determination and courage that I have rarely seen," the old troll's face was alight with admiration, "They kept drawing nearer to the snow-troll king as he backed off and soon he became aware that capture was imminent. He tried to throw the mirror at a nearby tree but Adrian lunged forward and grabbed it. A ferocious tug of war ensued but Adrian was too strong for Rabbie and he was able to wrest it from his grasp."

Grand Pabbie paused, having suddenly discerned that his voice had grown quite high-pitched. "At that moment, I noticed that Babbie had directed an icicle right at King Magnus, "he proceeded, clearing his throat, "I quickly fired a stone, smashing the icy spear before it could impale the King. Unfortunately, the impact deflected the stone and I feared that it would break the mirror. Thankfully it did not strike the glass, but it did clip the frame. The contact caused the tiniest of cracks in the glass, sending a single solitary shard flying straight at Prince Adrian's heart."

Anna let out a small cry as the shadow representing her father dropped to its knees. "The soldiers captured the kings and their remaining clan members as King Magnus took a hold of the mirror and covered it with his cape." Grand Pabbie's voice was somber now, "But Prince Adrian was dying. Though the mirror itself would cause a person to freeze over the course of few days, the glass now embedded in his heart was killing him almost instantaneously. His hair began to turn white, his skin cold."

"King Magnus was distraught," the chronicle unfolded further, "He held his son close, seeking to keep him warm but to no avail. He implored me to save his son but I was powerless to help by myself. You remember me telling you that only an act of true love could save Anna," he reminded them, "and I told the King the same. But time was running out, and the Prince's life was ebbing away. There was only one other way. There is ancient troll magic that can save one from death's grasp, but it can only be managed by all four troll kings at the same time."

"The King summoned Rabbie, Babbie and Gabbie," he recollected, "He pleaded with them to save his son. Their nature, however, was not of sympathy and they refused. So the King made them an offer. He would release them and all their clans and allow them to return to their lands without retribution if they would help save Adrian."

"Oh, I urged the King to reconsider," the images showed a troll figuring arguing furiously with the silhouette of the King, "but he was adamant. I could understand his reasons but I feared the repercussions of the release of the troll kings. They would not lightly forget and would always harbor resentment for the defeat, against Arendelle and against me and the stone-trolls. Still, I did not wish for the Prince to die and so, together, we began the spell. The Prince was unconscious now, his rasping breaths frigid, as we went through the spell."

"Imperceptibly, his breathing steadied. His body began to grow warmer," Grand Pabbie's voice had relaxed, "Soon, his eyelids fluttered and he came awake. The King was overjoyed and, kept his word but there was no gratitude from the troll kings, only muttered threats. So ended the Cold War; with victory to the kingdom of Arendelle."

The shadow play came to an end. There was a pause as Kristoff and Anna digested this bit of history. Anna was the first to speak up, with a question that she had thought of. "Is that how Elsa got her powers?" she asked.

"Yes, Anna," Grand Pabbie affirmed, "Although I do not know for sure if it was the effect of the mirror shard, or whether the troll kings sneaked in a curse when they saved your father. I did ask your Adrian if she had been born with the powers or cursed and even though he confirmed that she was born with it, I still cannot be sure."

"But surely you'd know if they had cursed the prince, wouldn't you?" Kristoff put in.

"Unfortunately, I would not," Grand Pabbie clarified, "You see, each troll king only knows the portion of the spell that they can cast. That would allow them to modify it so that the spell still works but with some… side-effects."

They pondered on this for a while until another query presented itself to Anna. "But hang on, I have never heard anyone talk about this," she asked, "How is it that no one discusses the war anymore?"

"That was my request to King Magnus," Grand Pabbie said, "I did not wish for our presence to become common knowledge, else our existence would cease to be peaceful. I proposed that we modify the memories of the people of the kingdom. King Magnus agreed, on one condition. He sought that he and Adrian be allowed to keep their memories and come to us if they were ever in desperate need of assistance. I acquiesced and the Cold War passed from the collective memory of Arendelle."

"But what about the other kingdoms?" Kristoff put in.

"Well, the end of the war did not mean the end of my work," Grand Pabbie told him, "There was still the matter of the other kingdoms being wrecked due to the effects of the mirror. All the affected kingdoms needed to be returned to their rightful lords and rid of their icy spell. Since this required the powers over snow, wind and water, we needed the co-operation of Rabbie, Gabbie and Babbie. King Magnus made it a condition of their release that they would release these kingdoms from their ruination but allowed them to alter the memories of the people so as to escape future retaliation. The troll kings acceded, grudgingly, and the kingdoms were restored to normalcy. Trolls became a myth once more; just a children's fairy tale."

"Then how did Henrik find out?" was Anna's next question after some consideration.

"From what he's told me, Henrik had unearthed some old manuscripts that predate even King Magnus by several generations," he informed them, "There are those who have unwittingly stumbled upon the presence of trolls in the past, and have recorded the same. Most of these records had perished long before the war, but a few remain and those, alas, we cannot erase. Henrik pored through the manuscripts and then sought out Rabbie, Babbie and Gabbie and their clans to ask for their support to wage a new war. The troll kings had been waiting for just such an opportunity to exact revenge on Arendelle, and they readily agreed to his plan."

"And they needed to get you out of the way so that there would be no magical counter-attack this time," Kristoff finished.

"I'm afraid it's not quite a simple as that," Grand Pabbie corrected, "Henrik doesn't want me out of the way. He wants me to help him. Arendelle already has a magical counter-attack in Elsa. Her powers match the three troll kings'. But the power over stone and rock would tilt the battle in Henrik's favour."

"How does he want you to help him," Anna was now growing fearful for Arendelle and for Elsa.

"I do not know," Grand Pabbie admitted, "Up until now, I had told him in no uncertain terms that I had no intention of providing him with any assistance and so he did not tell me exactly what he wanted. But now… things have changed."

"Because of us," Kristoff mumbled softly, Grand Pabbie's earlier comment now making sense to him, "He's going to use us as leverage to make you help him."

"I'm afraid so."

Almost as if on cue, the door swung open and Henrik strode him, a victorious grin on his face. He surveyed the three of them with an air of superiority.

"Well, I trust you've had a nice chat," he told the elderly troll, "Perhaps we can now get to work?"

Grand Pabbie looked sadly at Kristoff and Anna as he rose and walked to the door. Kristoff jumped to his feet, wishing that there was something he could do, yet only too aware that Henrik now had gained an invaluable weapon for his attack on Arendelle. The two guards that flanked Henrik aimed their crossbows at Kristoff in warning.

"Don't do it, Grand Pabbie," he said uselessly, knowing that his words would have no effect, "Don't help him."

"I must thank you," Henrik grinned, delighting at their dejection as they watched Grand Pabbie being escorted away by another guard, "Before you two got here, I must confess I was hard put to get him to play ball. Now, thanks to you, rolling into Arendelle to take it over will be a breeze."

With a derisive laugh, he exited with his guards and the door slammed shut with a chilling note of finality.

* * *

**A/N**: Whew! This has got to be one of the longest chapters I've written. I usually try to keep the chapters a bit shorter but this one was just too interesting and I just kept writing. I'd love to hear what you think of my attempt at a back story for Elsa's powers.

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. A big thank you to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	10. Chapter 10

**It's not so good to be the Queen**

The bright afternoon sun bathed the Arendelle castle courtyard in summery warmth, drawing perspiration on the brows of the gaggle of children waiting expectantly there. Whispered conversations and observations hummed in the still air, accompanied by the awed pointing of fingers at the fountains and other royal trappings. The hubbub suddenly ceased as the Queen descended the steps of the castle toward them, smiling broadly.

One of the edicts that William had encouraged Elsa to implement had been to allow small school groups to visit the castle so that children could learn about the history of the kingdom and about the royal family. He had felt that it would further strengthen the love and respect that the people of Arendelle had for the monarch. Elsa had agreed but the first few hectic months of her reign had taken the idea clean out of her mind. In his own inimitable way, William had finally affixed a date, ensured that her diary was cleared and made all the necessary arrangements for the first visit to coincide closely with her first anniversary as Queen.

Looking over the group of fresh-faced youngsters who were goggling back at her, Elsa felt a slight misgiving at the proposed venture. Having spent her formative years all alone at the castle, she had not had the opportunity to mix with others of her own age and now she wondered if she was up to the task of entertaining twenty boys and girls.

"If only Anna was here," Elsa murmured to herself. The thought of her sister caused her smile to skid off her face, replacing it with an expression of concern. Her eyes were drawn to the world outside the castle gates and she paused in thought. It had been two days since Anna and Kristoff had left, and though she had managed to tell herself that they were well and likely to return soon, every passing minute had added a little bit more to the pit of worry bubbling inside her.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," the children chorused, making Elsa jump. They accompanied their greeting with deep bows and curtesies.

"Good afternoon," Elsa replied with a nod, her smile back on as she shelved, for the moment, her fears for Anna and Kristoff.

"Your Majesty, we must thank you for this opportunity," said their teacher, a slightly plump woman in her forties, "The children have been looking forward to this for a long time."

Silence accompanied this statement as the children gazed at Elsa, apparently struck dumb. Elsa had attired herself in a much simpler outfit than her regal raiment and she had let her platinum-blonde hair down in her customary single braid, and yet the presence of the Queen appeared to have wiped speech from their lips. Knowing that, if allowed, this state of affairs might continue indefinitely, Elsa attempted to inject a note of informality.

"Well, they don't seem too thrilled, do they?" she asked, tapping her cheek as if in thought, "Hmm… I wonder. Maybe a snowball fight after the tour might excite you?" she ventured, leaning forward with her hands on her knees, a twinkle alight in her eyes. A symphony of young voices sang out their approval at this sudden addition to the programme.

"Well, the rules of snowball fighting stipulate that only good boys and girls get to play. Will you all be good when we take you through the castle?" she continued, smiling at their animation.

"Yes," came the combined reply.

"Alright then, you'd better pick your teams now because once we finish the tour, it's going to be war out here," she said, conjuring up a little swirl of snow to their great delight. As the children rushed around attempting to be picked in the most formidable group, a little boy made his way diffidently towards Elsa. Standing before the Queen, he shyly held up an offering.

"Is that for me?" Elsa smiled, bending down to accept the proffered gift as the child flushed a bright scarlet. His present was a fairly inspired painting of the very courtyard in which they stood, drawn from the time when Elsa had turned it into a skating rink for the people of Arendelle. The Queen dominated the scene, resplendent in her crystal blue gown and shimmering cape.

"It's beautiful," she told the little boy, whose complexion was rapidly approaching that of a ripe tomato. Handing the picture to William and asking him to have it placed on her desk, Elsa waved her hands slowly through the air. Little flakes of snow whirled around her fingers and in their midst began to form a figure in ice. The lad gasped in delight as a little reindeer took shape and gently floated down to his waiting hands.

"Thank you," he squeaked as he clutched his prize and trotted back to show it to his friends. Elsa beamed as she straightened up, but the smile dissolved as she caught sight of movement on the bridge leading to the castle. Galloping at full speed towards the gates was Mille, with Olaf hanging on for dear life, and Anna, Kristoff and Sven nowhere in sight. Elsa felt as if a cold hand had clutched at her heart as she stared at Mille, desperately hoping against hope that perhaps Sven would burst into sight suddenly with Kristoff and Anna astride him.

"We're ready," the shrill cry went up around her, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Go on in then," she told the children, managing to hide her growing alarm under a warm grin, "Mr. William here will show you around and I'll join you really soon. Have a good time." William bowed, having noted Mille's approach too, and he shepherded the group towards the castle door. As the children filed into the castle behind William, Elsa raced to meet the approaching mare. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest as her mind conjured up increasingly terrifying scenarios of what could have happened to her sister.

"Olaf, where're Anna and Kristoff?" she demanded of the snowman as Mille drew up to her, "Did something happen to them? Are they alright?"

"Elsa, I'm so sorry," Olaf replied, trying to be as comforting as possible, "They've been captured by the King of the Southern Isles."

Elsa felt as if she had been frozen, unable to move or speak. The hammering of her heart became physically painful as a nameless dread engulfed her. Her mind a storm of emotion, she stared before her, unseeing, as frost began to form on the ground that she stood on.

She and Anna had grown close over the preceding twelve months, trying to make up for all the years that they had lost. In her mind's eye she could see all the times she had shelved her royal duties in favour of building a snowman, or having a snowball fight or just chatting over a cup of cocoa with Anna. The anguish brought on by the knowledge that she had let Anna go on this quest leading to her capture was causing Elsa to slowly shut down. Lost in her churning thoughts, Elsa would have remained rooted to the spot, if she had not suddenly felt a sharp pain on her face.

"Ouch!" she cried, reaching up to massage her bruised cheek while glaring at Olaf who had been the aggressor.

"I'm sorry, Elsa," the snowman's apology was heartfelt, "But I figured that your standing here isn't going to help bring Anna and Kristoff back."

"_Get it together_," Elsa told herself, fiercely driving away the inner demons that threatened to take over, "_Anna and Kristoff are depending on you. Don't fail them. Be the big sister Anna needs you to be._"

"You're right, Olaf," she agreed, a steely glint now in her eye, "Let's get inside. I'll ask for William and Captain Elias to join us. We need a plan."

Signaling for a foot-man to lead Mille to the stables, Elsa marched purposefully to the castle. Olaf trotted along beside her, panting slightly as he struggled to keep up with the Queen's determined strides.

Soon, Elsa's study became the meeting room for an impromptu planning council. William had handed over charge of the school group to Kai and together with Captain Elias, the chief of the Arendellian armed forces, he joined Elsa and Olaf who were deep in discussion. Upon their arrival, Olaf recounted the narrative of their journey to the island, the subsequent capture of Anna and Kristoff and the plot of King Henrik to attack Arendelle.

"They should have had a guard," Captain Elias harrumphed as Olaf's account drew to a close. Elias' gruff voice hid his concern for Anna's well-being, while a muscular frame and rugged handsomeness belied his true age of over fifty. One of Elsa's father's most trusted advisors, he had been one of the few people who had been made aware of Elsa's powers; a secret that he had kept faithfully even from his own family. Having dandled them on his knee when they were children, he considered Elsa and Anna equal to his own daughter, Nora, and the current situation troubled him.

"We've talked about this, Captain Elias," Elsa grumbled, "Kristoff felt that if the kidnappers realized that a large group of soldiers were on their trail, they would likely harm Grand Pabbie."

"Hmm… I always thought trolls were a myth" Elias murmured, his mind filled with vague memories concerning trolls which he could not quite understand.

"I assure you, they most certainly are not," Elsa shot back, "But that is irrelevant. What we need to decide is our course of action now."

"We must send out a rescue party," Elias responded, "I will have five of my best men ready to leave in half an hour. The snowman can lead them."

"Would five suffice?"

"Your Majesty, our concern now is the same as it was before. A large contingent of soldiers may put the lives of Princess Anna and Mr. Kristoff at risk, as too of the… troll," Elias explained, "And we need our army to be ready in the event of an attack by King Henrik. Rest assured, the men I select can be trusted with a mission such as this."

"I'd like to go with them," Elsa stated after a few minutes of thought, her gaze resting on the portrait of her and Anna that she had commissioned the previous year.

"No," William and Elias spoke up together.

"Your Majesty, it is too great a risk," William blurted out, his face creased with worry.

"I can't sit by and do nothing when Anna is in danger, William," Elsa turned to him, her face resolute.

"Your Majesty," Elias cut in, "Your kingdom needs you now. If war is coming to Arendelle, then leaving them leaderless would throw the kingdom into chaos."

"But…"

"Your Majesty, if you were to be captured by Henrik, then Arendelle would be lost without a war," Elias continued, "I give you my word; my men will find your sister. But right now, your people need you to be their Queen."

In spite of her rising concern for Anna, Elsa recognized the merit of Elias' argument, but it did nothing to soothe the agitation in her mind.

"You're right, Captain Elias," she admitted softly, "But I must do something, or else I will go mad with worry."

"Talk to the people, Your Majesty," William suggested, "Your presence alone could be the reassurance and confidence they need at this time."

Elsa nodded in agreement. "What about preparation for war?" she asked, now more in control of herself.

"I will prepare our forces," Elias told her, "I recommend we send out a company to our borders to warn us of the impending assault."

Elsa nodded grimly, her resolve now firm to stand with her people against the advancing army of the Southern Isles. It was painful for her to push thoughts of Anna aside, but she knew that this was what Anna would want her to do.

"Very well," she told them, "William, issue a notice asking everyone to assemble in the courtyard in three hours."

"Yes, Your Majesty," William jotted down busily, "And may I also recommend that we send a message to our neighbours warning them of King Henrik's plan."

"Good idea," Elsa agreed, "Do that too. Anything else?"

William and Elias exchanged a look. "Well, there is actually one more thing you could do, Your Majesty," William began meekly.

"Yes?"

There was a pregnant pause and Elsa began to have an inkling of what they were trying to tell her. Fear rose up again; a fear that she had suppressed for over a year now.

"The thing is, Your Majesty," Elias' voice sunk low, "We need a way of hindering the attacking forces. We thought…"

As his voice petered out, at a loss for words to truly express his intent, Elsa knew she had been right. "You want me to use my powers to cover the land in snow," she finished for him.

"It may give us the slightest of advantages, Your Majesty," Elias affirmed, "A frozen fjord means no warships can approach Arendelle. And snow in the middle of summer may throw an advancing army off."

"Wouldn't they be expecting that?"

"As I said, Your Majesty, the advantage may be miniscule," Elias agreed, "But it is something."

Elsa let out a long breath. Worries seethed beneath her calm exterior. She had not released her powers to this extent since the events of the previous year and she feared losing control again.

"_Love will thaw_," she berated herself, as she thought of Anna and of the love of the people of Arendelle, "_They need you to do this._"

"Very well," she nodded, "William, include in the notice that everyone is to prepare for cold weather, or winter, or… something. You'll know what to say."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will also ensure that all ships are moved out of the harbor soon." William bowed. Elsa smiled gratefully, glad that he had a way of translating her sometimes incoherent sentences into official announcements. She turned to Olaf.

"Olaf, I know it's rough to ask you to head out again…" she began hesitantly.

"Anna and Kristoff are in trouble," Olaf stopped her, holding up a hand, "I'm ready to go now."

"Thanks, Olaf," was all that Elsa was able to manage, appreciative of the support that she was getting from all of them and somehow feeling that she wasn't contributing much.

"Arendelle looks to you now, Your Majesty," Elias spoke up, having divined what was on her mind, "Let them know that they can count on you."

"I will," Elsa promised. Her eyes strayed to the portrait of her father at his coronation. He had left a legacy of leadership that she was eager to emulate. _This is my chance_, she thought to herself, as she stood a little taller.

"Captain Elias, I leave the selection of the rescue team and the preparation for war in your capable hands," she said, turning business-like, "William, send out the notice and be back in an hour. We need to work on a speech. And Olaf…"

"Mmm?"

Elsa's face softened as she looked at the naïve yet incredibly courageous snowman. "Come back safely," she told him.

"I will," Olaf replied, touched by her concern. William and Elias bowed and the three of them left the room.

Elsa walked out onto the balcony and gazed out to the horizon, deep in thought. She thought of Anna and Kristoff, captured and locked up on an island. She thought of a malevolent King who was plotting an attack on Arendelle. She thought of the people of her kingdom who were looking to her for reassurance. Her eyes narrowed and her teeth set firmly in determination, resolved not to let the enormity of the task ahead get the better of her. Swiveling around, she strode confidently back into the castle, heading in the direction of the loud chattering of children eagerly preparing for an epic snowball battle.

* * *

**A/N**: Well, I've neglected Elsa almost entirely so far so it was fun writing a chapter focusing on her. Definitely will be seeing more of the Queen in the coming chapters. Thank you also for those who wrote in their feedback about the back story for Elsa's powers; it's been really encouraging for me.

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. A big thank you to all who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	11. Chapter 11

**A Separation**

Several miles from the courtyard of the Arendelle castle – which was witnessing a vigorous snowball fight being officiated by Elsa – Anna dozed in troubled slumber in the stone cell. After Grand Pabbie had been taken away, she and Kristoff had spent a long time discussing his sensational revelations and speculating on Henrik's next move. As the day had worn on, Anna's lack of rest had begun to take its toll, her heavy eyelids drooping as the sun slipped past its zenith. Worried, Kristoff had urged her to sleep and, though initially resistant, she had finally succumbed to her fatigue. Lying on the cold, hard floor, her head nestled in Kristoff's lap, she snoozed.

The strident clang of the door being swung open shattered her forty winks. Groggily, she sat up with Kristoff's arm on her shoulder for support. The King of the Southern Isles was once again in their midst, clearly in high spirits. The patronizing sneer that he shot them only served to increase their aversion to his presence.

"You will be happy to know," Henrik smirked, "That the troll has kindly agreed to help us."

"You… you…," Kristoff growled with impotent rage, as he attempted to get to his feet. Anna clutched his arm to restrain him, aware of the guard who had his crossbow trained right at Kristoff.

"Ah, ah, ah! Temper, temper," Henrik chided, "That's no way to behave towards your soon to be King."

"You're no King," Anna snapped, her own anger barely controlled, "You're a murderer. And you're no match for Elsa."

"Hans was no match for Elsa," Henrik replied coolly, "I, on the other hand, am better prepared."

"What do you want, Henrik?" Kristoff barked, "Have you come to gloat?"

"Well, I am enjoying the gloating," Henrik admitted, "But that isn't the only reason I'm here. You see, we are now in the final stages of preparation and I really don't wish to be interrupted. Unfortunately, your presence here puts my plans at risk."

"It isn't that I don't enjoy your company," he continued, "But the fact that you two stumbled upon our little hideaway means other might too. So we've decided to shift our base of operations to a more suitable location."

"What does that have to do with us?" Anna spat, "Just go."

"I couldn't possibly leave you in the godforsaken place, Your Highness," Henrik said with mock-surprise, "You're coming with us."

"No way," Kristoff roared as he leapt to his feet.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Henrik," Anna asserted, as she too stood up by Kristoff's side.

"Now please don't be difficult, Your Highness," Henrik chastised her, "This is in your best interest."

"I am not going anywhere without Kristoff," Anna shot back.

"I see. Well, that can be arranged," Henrik signaled to the guard, "Kill him."

"No," Anna shrieked as jumped in front of Kristoff to shield him, "You wouldn't."

Without a word, Henrik nodded and the guard obediently fired. As Kristoff instinctively enveloped Anna in his arms in a desperate effort to get her out of the way, the arrow sang harmlessly past his ear and thudded into the wall behind him. Henrik walked up to them, his disdainful laughter echoing through the room. Shaking slightly with shock and anger respectively, Anna and Kristoff straightened up to face him.

"I don't take kindly to be disobeyed, Your Highness," Henrik murmured, the underlying hint of malice belying his artificial smile.

"Let me tell you what would happen if you continue your obstinacy," he went on, with chilling deliberation, "I will kill him, and then you. And then I will conquer Arendelle and kill your sister. After all, I hadn't planned on your appearance and I can do quite well without you. But, you might be useful to me and if you come with us, then I will let him live; and you too. And Arendelle and Elsa will have a better chance of survival."

Kristoff followed Henrik's every move and mannerism. In his growing dislike for the man, he also recognized a remorseless drive that sought to destroy anything that stood in his way, including stubborn princesses.

"Go, Anna," he mumbled, his heart sinking as if weighed down by a rock. He hated the thought of letting her go with Henrik but the alternative was a quick arrow at her heart and he had no intention of letting that to happen.

Wrenching her eyes away from Henrik's cold, callous gaze, Anna looked up at Kristoff's worried countenance. He tried to smile but it fell flat, coming off more as a tortured grimace.

"I can't…" she began and faltered, unable to bring herself to say it.

Kristoff felt as if a large prickly object had formed in his throat. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, pulling her into a tight hug, "For all of this. I dragged you into this and now... now I can't even protect you."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Kristoff," Anna told him fiercely, her spirit returning slowly, "This isn't your fault. Besides, we still have to rescue Grand Pabbie, right?"

"Right," Kristoff agreed, and then leaning forward he breathed _pianississimo_ into her ear, "And I promise you that I will come for you, no matter what."

"What makes you think I won't come for you first," Anna riposted, her voice muffled by his tunic.

Kristoff grinned as he stepped back from the now purposeful-looking Anna. He ran his palm against her cheek, and Anna took hold of his hand, both seeking to eke out the last moments of togetherness.

"I love you," Kristoff croaked, staring deep into her cerulean eyes, wishing he could get lost in them forever.

Her determined façade cracked faintly. "I love you too," she managed, before turning around and marching out of the door quickly. Outside a horse stood in readiness with two other riders in attendance. Anna swung herself up smoothly and with one last glance at Kristoff she rode away, with the guards on her flanks.

Henrik watched her retreating figure and then turned to Kristoff. "Ah, young love," he almost cooed, "So painful. So dramatic."

"I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand," Kristoff snarled.

"I should certainly hope not," Henrik answered scornfully, "I have no use for it."

"Who are you?" Kristoff exploded, marching toward Henrik who had turned to the door, "How can you be so cold?"

Even as the guard raised the crossbow again in warning, Henrik's hand moved smoothly to his belt. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed his sabre which cleaved the air and ended up mere inches from Kristoff's throat. His rage-fuelled momentum arrested, Kristoff came to an abrupt halt.

"Do you want to know me, Ice Master?" Henrik hissed, his voice now utterly icy, "Do you think you could understand? Do you think you could tap into some long forgotten well of mercy or humanity?"

Henrik moved forward slowly, his blade unflinching. Kristoff stood firm, watching the sword come closer till it was touching his neck. His throat began to run dry but he refrained from gulping, afraid that any movement could result in a nasty nick.

"You are all fools," Henrik's voice dripped with derision, "You believe in love and happily-ever-afters. Your heads are so far up in the clouds that you fail to see how the world works. This world is run by power, Ice Master, and by those who wield it without remorse."

"You're crazy, Henrik," Kristoff growled, "Crazy and wrong."

"Really?" Henrik retorted, "Tell me, Ice Master. How many people remember the erstwhile King and Queen of Arendelle, huh? Now tell me, how many know of the infamous Snow Queen? The news of Elsa's abilities has spread through the land like wildfire. She is feared; dreaded. All because of her power. Now tell me that I am wrong."

As Henrik slid his sabre back into its scabbard with a snigger and made his way to the door, Kristoff felt as if a blinding light had gone off.

"This isn't only about Arendelle, is it?" he called out, and Henrik froze at the threshold, "This is about Elsa. You want to control Elsa's powers, so that you can be the most feared man in the land."

Henrik pivoted slowly, his face a mask, but Kristoff could see a dangerous light flicker in his eyes. Undeterred, he took a couple of brazen steps forward.

"But why?" he asked, "Why not just use the trolls?"

Henrik stayed silent for a few moments, peering thoughtfully at Kristoff. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter if I tell you now," he observed at last, "The trolls have limited usefulness. Their interest in working with me is merely for the destruction of Arendelle and of your precious troll clan, because of their perceived humiliation at the hands of King Magnus and the stone troll king during the Cold War. Once Arendelle is defeated, I will have no hold on them. They will lose interest in assisting me. But Elsa, well, she can be… convinced."

Henrik stepped back out of the door with his guard and the door slammed shut. Kristoff raced forward and threw himself at the unrelenting metal.

"Is that why you want Anna?" he bellowed through the barrier, "I swear, if you hurt her, Henrik, I will kill you. You hear me, I'll kill you."

"Good luck," came Henrik's taunting reply. The sound of galloping horses faded away into the distance and then there was silence.

* * *

Blissfully unaware of the riveting conversation between Henrik and Kristoff, Anna rode along the forest trails which the guards led her through. As they travelled, Anna began to realize that the island was much larger that what they had initially imagined it to be. In time the trees began to thin out into little glades and clearings. Their little group passed other soldiers who were packing up in preparation for their departure, some of whom paused to look at the princess going by, while others continued with their tasks, unconcerned.

Disturbed though she was, Anna noticed that they had been riding for quite a long time when the ground began to angle up a gentle incline. Crossing the rise, it then sloped downwards and soon they broke out into open ground. The grassy meadow led further down to a sandy cove with a makeshift pier. A ship and several large boats bobbed lazily in the water, soldiers rushing about on their decks to ensure that all was in readiness to depart as soon as the King arrived.

Shading her eyes from the glare of the late afternoon sun, Anna looked out across the water as she cursed her wonky grasp on geography which had led her astray. The island was not on a lake at all, it was actually situated on a large bay which led out to sea. Looking out from the Brimstadmarka, the inlet had been obscured by the island, but now Anna understood how Henrik had been able to make the island his base so easily.

Hooves clattering on wood, the horses trotted along the pier till they drew up to the ship. The guards dismounted and one of them offered Anna a hand which she chose to ignore as she too slid off her horse easily. Untroubled by this slight, he and his partner escorted the princess onto the ship. If she had hoped to study the ship itself, Anna wasn't given the chance as the men led her straight to the brig. Much to Anna's surprise and gladness she found that she was not to be the sole occupant of the cell.

"Grand Pabbie, you're here too," she sighed with some relief.

"Yes, my dear," he assured her, "But where is Kristoff?"

The relief faded quickly off Anna's face, to be replaced by a look of pain. "Henrik was going to kill him, Grand Pabbie, and I… I..." she sputtered, unable to speak as tears welled up in her eyes.

Grand Pabbie took her hand and patted it soothingly. "He'll be fine. You did what had to be done, Anna," he murmured, seeking to comfort the stricken girl.

"I know," Anna replied as she furiously dried her eyes, "It doesn't make it any easier."

"I know it doesn't," Grand Pabbie agreed sadly.

Anna walked across the short length of her new jail and looked longingly through the barred window at the island where Kristoff was still imprisoned. The ship and boats were filling up rapidly and she knew that soon they would be off. Sea gulls glided overhead, cawing as they sought a meal. In the far distance, Anna could make out the slanting mainland that formed the mouth of the bay through which they would put out to sea. Questions upon questions arose in her mind as the future turned murkier by the second.

"You can see the future, can't you, Grand Pabbie?" she asked quietly, "Do you know what's going to happen? To all of us?"

"Alas, my dear," Grand Pabbie replied, "I can only see what may happen, not what will. The path that Henrik has chosen will lead to dark days for all of us. In his ruthless desire to rule, Henrik will seek to turn friends against each other. Yet it is in unity that we all must find our strength now. He seeks power over all but there are powers in existence that he does not understand. Remember, there is always hope."

"You think so, do you?" came Henrik's caustic snort as he strode out in front of their prison, "You are so wrong, you deluded little man."

Anna's hands clenched involuntarily as she watched Henrik strut around before them, fighting down the choice epithets that she wished she could use. Grand Pabbie's eyes narrowed below his bushy eyebrows.

"Your complacence will be your downfall, Henrik," he grunted, "You believe you understand people but you don't and believe me, they will surprise you."

"Well, I do have to partially agree with you there," Henrik conceded, "Take Her Highness' fiancée for example. He actually does appear to have flashes of brilliance despite his dopey appearance. Pity he's just so…. ordinary."

"He's worth ten of you," Anna couldn't stop her angry outburst, "Worth ten of all you put together. And he will not stop till he finds you."

"Oh, I don't think I need to worry about that too much," Henrik observed almost lazily, his chilling grin freezing the blood in Anna's veins.

"What's that supposed…" she began when she felt a lurch as the ship pulled away from the pier. Rushing to the window, she saw that they had indeed set off, along with the other boats, and were now slicing across the still water. But her attention was only on the two guards who were still on the shore. One of them was happily pocketing a bulging money bag as the other mounted his horse.

"Make sure he's dead and there'll be more for you when we return," came Hans' bellow from somewhere off to her side. The men nodded and soon they were galloping away from the cove and towards where Kristoff was still in lock-up.

"I do so detest leaving loose ends" Henrik explained as Anna charged toward him, only to be brought up short by the unyielding bars of her cell.

"You promised, Henrik," she was shouting now, "You promised that you wouldn't hurt him."

"Did I?" Henrik pretended to think, "Perhaps I meant only temporarily. Besides, Your Highness, one would think that you would know better than to trust us, considering you've had the pleasure of being part of Hans' bumbling plot last year."

"You have me, like you asked," Anna was trying hard to keep her voice from breaking, as anger and panic threatened to consume her.

"And me," Grand Pabbie put in, his stony glare having no effect on Henrik, "I agreed to help you on condition of their well being."

"Exactly," Henrik told them, "I have the two of you and you're the ones that matter. What do I need an ice harvester for anyway? He's dead weight. Soon, he'll just be dead," he chuckled at his own morbid joke.

"Besides, I've found that crushing people's hopes tend to make them more pliable," he noted, his voice as sharp as a razor's edge, as he strolled up close to the bars. Anna took a sudden wild swipe at him but Henrik swayed out of the way with a contemptuous laugh.

"You've got spirit, I'll give you that. But don't worry, you'll come around," he said as he made his way towards where his army chief was beckoning to him. After a quick exchange, Henrik disappeared into his stateroom, presumably to plan the next stage of his operation.

"Henrik, please, don't kill him," Anna implored in despair, "Please… Henrik…"

The door remained firmly shut. Anna raced to the window and looked out at the fast disappearing coastline of the island.

"Kristoff, Kristoff…" she bellowed at the top of her lungs, knowing deep down that it was pointless, yet screaming in an effort to do something, anything at all to keep herself from going mad. But only the lonesome calls of the seagulls answered her.

* * *

**A/N**: So what do you think? I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. I love all the feedback and support that I'm getting from everyone. A big thank you to all of you especially those who have faved/followed/reviewed.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Queen's Speech**

The shades of evening were spreading across the sky as Elsa stepped out onto the balcony, charged with the unpleasant task of having to tell the citizens of Arendelle that they might soon be at war; something that the fair kingdom had not had to face for many years. For a pronouncement of such gravity she had opted for a more formal gown in a shade of navy, her hair now done up in a bun. William, the wizard that he was, had seemingly conjured up a speech for her out of thin air and, after the conclusion of the snowball fight with the children, she had spent nearly an hour rehearsing it. But as she beheld the sea of people in the courtyard below, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered madly, unused as she was to having to address the people of her kingdom with the solemnity that the present situation demanded. Elsa swallowed hard, and stole a peek at the notes she had clasped in her hand but somehow she found herself unable to speak. Looking down at the expectant faces below, she came to a sudden decision. Heart pounding, she turned on her heel and walked out of the balcony and out of sight of the people thronging to hear her.

A low hum of muttered exchanges began to move through the assembled crowd. Elsa's vanishing act had taken the people by surprise and doubts began to be raised as to their Queen's ability to lead them at such as time. As the hubbub rose in volume, the castle doors flew open and Elsa strode out. Walking down the steps, Elsa could feel all their eyes upon her and whispered conversations were switched off hurriedly. People bowed and cleared a path as she marched out into their midst. William and Kai, who had been equally taken aback by Elsa's sudden switch, now took up position at the castle doors while Captain Elias leaned against a castle gate, and they all watched the young Queen make her way through the crowd to the centre of the courtyard.

Elsa came to a stop in between the two fountains that adorned the courtyard. The people formed a respectful clearing around her, and then there were gasps, as without a word, she began to fashion a platform out of ice, with steps carved into its side. When she was done, Elsa walked up onto her icy stage and faced the congregation.

"As you all know, the Kingdom of the Southern Isles seeks to wage a war against us," she began, her voice ringing clear in the still evening air, "We have been told that they are mustering a force, both human and magical, to assist them in this attack. Their impending assault, we learn, is not a result of Prince Hans' imprisonment last year, but rather due to the hunger for power that burgeons within the hearts of King Henrik and his brothers."

Little murmurs broke out among the people, which fizzled out quickly. Elsa looked at the people gathered around her, all seeking reassurance that their monarch knew what to do. She gazed out through the open gates and wondered about Anna and Kristoff. She peered at the paper grasped in her hand which held lines of ringing confidence and encouragement; words that seemed incongruent to her true state of mind.

"I…" she faltered and paused. The words that she had practiced would not come any more, held back by the uncertainty and doubt that she was not supposed to feel or profess. She could say what her notes contained, but they would not be true, nor would they capture the helplessness that she felt. In the face of possible war, she knew that she needed all the help that she could get and with it came the realization of what she needed to do. Firmly crumpling the sheet in her fist, she let it drop to the ground. Taking a deep breath, she plunged on extempore, much to William's mounting horror.

"What you may not know is that King Henrik has also captured Princess Anna and her fiancé," she told the people. Louder remarks erupted at this revelation. "A team has been sent out to rescue them as we speak," she bellowed over the noise, which subsided immediately, allowing Elsa a few moments to gather her thoughts.

"But I am afraid," she proceeded, "I am afraid for my sister, out there in the clutches of a maniac. I am afraid for all of you, who face the prospect of a war that you are not responsible for. And I am afraid for me, that I may not be the Queen you need at a time like this."

"Oh dear, what are you doing, Your Majesty?" William mumbled softly, shaking his head. He had impressed on her the need to appear positive and reassuring and this admission of anxiety, he felt, would affect the people's impression of her. Already he could see people glancing around them, worry writ large on their faces.

"King Henrik seeks to use whatever weapons he can muster against us," Elsa continued, "But his greatest weapon is fear; the fear that would seek to weaken our hope and defeat us even before the war begins."

A hush had descended on the people who appeared stunned by Elsa's frank expression of distress, which found a reflection in the discomfort in their own hearts. People fidgeted, unsure of what Elsa's speech was leading to. Now and then a child would bawl, to be silenced quickly by its mother.

"I'd been a prisoner of fear for thirteen years," Elsa confessed, "I was shackled by it, and even though I tried to control it, it only grew stronger until it overwhelmed me entirely."

She stopped as the memories of the previous year's events came flooding back. "And then, in the depths of my despair," she pushed on, "I learnt of a power that even fear cannot stand against. It's the power of a snowman that would rather melt that abandon a dying girl. It's the power that can make a man ride through a blizzard to save a life, without concern for his own. It's the power of one who would die to protect her sister. And it's the power of a people who would forgive the girl who had plunged their country into an eternal winter and give her a second chance."

"There is a power that is greater than fear," her voice was stronger now, "It is the power of love that bears courage which cannot be shaken. Your love gave me the strength to overcome my fears; and that is your greatest power. I know it, I have felt it. You have it within you even now."

"And so I stand with you," a new confidence appeared to bubble out of her and spread to the people around, "And I say to the kingdom of the Southern Isles, that they may bring what they please, but they will not stand. For the people of Arendelle have a power within them that cannot be beaten. We find courage in each other. We find the strength to go on when the odds appear to be against us. We, you and I, have defeated fear and there exists no other power on earth that can bring us down from the heights that we stand on."

"I ask you today," she said, turning to face each and every one of them, "Will you stand with me? Will you share the power that I know that each one of you have within you? For when we stand together, united in love and in courage, then we will not yield. We will not buckle. We will win."

Cheers erupted through the crowd interspersed with applause, as the people threw their weight behind her; now secure in the knowledge that they now had one that they could rally behind; one that they could call Queen. Elsa had been rendered short of breath with the intensity of her elocution but her heart was buoyed by their response. She looked around the throng and every face held an encouraging smile.

"Are you ready?" she asked, and the people left her with no doubt that they were. Her hands and arms began to glow with an unearthly white light. Throwing her hands up, the light shot towards the heavens and then burst into a shower of snowflakes. The cloud grew larger and larger, as snow began to fall over all of Arendelle.

"Queen Elsa," a voice broke through the cheering. A young man, by all appearances a farmer, forced his way through the crowd till he was right by the platform.

"Yes?"

"My Lady, I will stand with you," he said, "And I volunteer to fight for you. I'd like to join the armed forces in defense of our kingdom against this threat."

"So will I," came another voice. "Me too," someone else piped up. Similar offers of services rippled through the assemblage. Somewhat disconcerted by this unexpected show of support, Elsa glanced over at Elias, who left his post at the wall and began to make his way through the crowd towards her.

"Thank you," she told the people who were now eagerly planning their counter-attack, "Perhaps you should meet Captain Elias who can advise you on the assistance we need."

"Well, we need all the help we can get," Elias told the new recruits, his gimlet eye piercing each one to assess their ability, "How many of you are volunteering?"

A mass of hands were raised in response. Elias tried to count them but abandoned the quest upon realizing that he had counted the same person three times in the first two minutes. "Very well, report to the barracks once we finish up here," he informed them, "But first, do you pledge to give your all in service of the monarch and of Arendelle?"

"We do," they chorused in reply.

"Do you promise to fulfill your responsibilities as a member of the armed forces to the best of your ability till such time as your duty ends?" Elias pressed.

"We do," was the responding cacophony.

Elias looked around the faces that were staring determinedly at him. In all his time as head of the armed forces, the army had not been required to do much since the kingdom had always been on good terms with their neighbours. When informed of the gathering war clouds, he had confided privately to his wife that though he loved Elsa as a daughter, he wasn't sure she was ready for the responsibility of leading a country on the verge of conflict. Now he knew he could proudly tell his wife that he was wrong, a confession which he did not lightly make.

"Very well," he said, "I now commend you to the service of protecting Arendelle, and its people. You do not back down. You do not surrender. You will give your all, and then some. For Queen… and country."

The resulting roar of agreement made the welkin ring. Elias helped Elsa off the platform and, flanked by the crowd, she walked out through the side gate and headed down to the steps to the fjord. At the edge of the water, Elsa concentrated her powers and crystals of ice began to form on the ground around her feet and spread out to the fjord. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and as her foot touched the frost on the surface of the water, it solidified in a flash. Elsa took another step and a few more, her powers flowing out across the fjord. The people watched in awe as a sheet of ice spread rapidly across the water till only moments later, the fjord was completely frozen.

The crowds on the bridge suddenly parted as a company of men marched through in perfect synchronization, heading out towards the borders of the kingdom. As Elsa watched them go to patrol Arendelle's frontiers, an idea popped into her mind. Her hands swirling with wintery power, she fired a blast at the ice-bound fjord. From the impact began to grow a massive snow-beast, which rapidly expanded till it towered nearly fifteen feet high. There were exclamations of astonishment and much pointing as people caught their first glimpse of Marshmallow. Elsa continued to conjure up more of them till ten hulking and aggressive monsters stood before her.

A brief nod from their creator, and they turned with one accord and stomped off after the soldiers to provide them with a measure of protection as they guarded the boundaries of the kingdom.

"Good idea," Elias observed as he came up behind Elsa, "You were pretty amazing today, Your Majesty."

Elsa smiled gratefully, happy to know that she had been able to gain the trust and admiration of the commander. She had seen a flicker of doubt in him during their earlier discussions; a flicker that, she was glad to note, appeared to have been quenched. As the people began to disperse to return to their homes and prepare for the cold weather, Elsa found her eyes drawn to the darkening horizon as she sent up a silent prayer for her sister.

* * *

**A/N**: Alright, so I'm a sucker for big speeches (Henry V, Aragorn et al), and so I tried to write out what I hope is an inspiring speech for Elsa. I wasn't satisfied with Elsa being loved just for being able to make a nice skating rink, but rather I wanted her to be recognized as a leader. Not sure if I've succeeded but it was a fun chapter to write. We do get back to the action soon.

For the guest reviewers of my last chapter, I unfortunately couldn't PM you, but thank you so much for your kind words. There was a time where I was updating twice or thrice a week but work's snowed me under (pun intended) so those heady days are gone but I'm definitely going to get a chapter up every week. Also, thanks 'AL' for your feedback on the Elsa back story; glad you liked it. How did you like Elsa's evolution in this chapter?

A big thank you to everyone who's been reading and to those who have faved/followed/reviewed. Your encouragement keeps me going.


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